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
Today's Old Testament reading is the 8th and 9th chapter of Numbers. (Numbers 8:1 - 9:23) In chapter 8 we see the dedication of the Levites. Aaron and his sons have already been dedicated as priests, and now the Levites, who have been commissioned to take care of the tabernacle and its equipment, are being set apart. God says that the Levites are to stand in as the first-born for all of Israel. You'll remember back during the tenth plague that God struck down every first-born son, except those households who marked their door-posts. In doing that God claimed every first-born for Himself. The Levites represented that for the tribes of Israel.
As we've read through Leviticus and into Numbers it can be hard to remember that all of this is happening while Israel is still camped at the base of Mount Sinai. Chapter nine tells us that they've been there for two years - able to celebrate two Passovers reminding them of their deliverance from slavery. During that time they've been putting in place all the commands God has given them. They build the tabernacle. They divided their camps in to tribes. They dedicated Aaron and his sons as well as the Levites. And they learned to practice all the laws that God had given through Moses. But God's ultimate destination for them was not the desert. Soon it would be time to move.
In Chapter 9 we get a little description of how God directed them to move over the course of their journey. The pillar of cloud and fire that led them out of Egypt was still present over the tabernacle. During the day, a cloud remained there, and at night the cloud looked like fire. When that cloud lifted, then the people knew it was time to move. When the cloud settled, the people know it was time to camp. This was how they were led until they entered the promised land.
The New Testament reading, Mark 13:14-37, is the second half of Mark's presentation of Jesus' teaching on the end of time. There will be signs, Jesus says. And when it all happens it's going to be terrible. But it is not something for His followers to fear. In fact, God cuts that terrible time short, specifically so His followers can survive it!
A couple key things for us to keep in our minds when we think about the last days: First, Jesus tells us plainly that anyone who claims that a messiah has come, or that God has returned, is lying. His return is not going to be secret requiring human messengers to get other people's attention. But His followers know this, and thus won't be deceived. Second, Jesus tells us that anyone who sets a date for His return is wrong. No one knows the time, only the Father. So, don't get caught up in date-setting. Our task is to be prepared and to be watchful. We have enough information that when these things start to happen, we'll know what's going on. We have enough information to not follow after rumors and false leaders. We know that we are to be missional in the meantime.
Our Psalms reading today, Psalms 50:1-23, is an extended poem showing God responding to the sacrifices. He doesn't really need them. They aren't there to manipulate or appease Him. They are for the people making the sacrifices, a reminder to be righteous. God Himself will honor those who remember these things, and stand against those who don't, and He won't forget or ignore the person who purposefully goes against His will.
The Proverbs readingis Proverbs 10:29-30. The way of the Lord is a refuge, from which we will never be uprooted!
2007 Cohort Comments
Comments (5)
Rich Rawlins said
at 10:12 am on Mar 7, 2009
OK, there is so much said here that I honestly think I could write a book on todays NT passage alone. My mind is overwhelmed with the reality of what is written here. Fear not!... I won't. I do want to touch on a couple of things though. In vs 14 it states...
"When you see the abomination that causes desolation standing where it does not belong—let the reader understand..."
OK, I'm not so sure that I do understand, and I think I should, as it seems like it one of the most serious statements in the bible. Can someone shed a little light on what "the abomination that causes desolation standing where it does not belong" actually is or what it means?
Then with regard to vs 26...
26"At that time men will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. 27And he will send his angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of the heavens.
I know you thing I'm nuts, or a little touched at best, but I still think Jesus is going to be flying something that is once again described as clouds here, and I'm betting the antichrist will have the population of earth convinced we are being invaded so they will fight the returning Christ.
And finally, I'm curious to know if anyone (besides me) feels like we are about to enter the times described here. I sort of threw this question out a while back, but did not receive any comments.
...rich
Jim Huddart said
at 6:36 pm on Mar 7, 2009
I'm confused on the abomination as well. When I refer back to Daniel's reference to it I get even more confused.
I don't have as much confusion about Jesus coming in the clouds as you do Rich, but I do think we could easily be approaching the end times described. I don't say that with fear, but rather with great anticipation.
Nate Burton said
at 1:10 pm on Mar 9, 2009
Hey Rich, still not sure I get the flying craft thing, but I dig your questions. From some quick poking around, it seems the abomination of desolation is in reference to something that the Antichrist will do to defile the alter or the temple. Based on our OT readings, it doesn't seem like it would be hard to find some way to go against God's commands about the alter, but whatever it is he's going to do, I think it will be done with great intention and made obvious to everyone in the world.
In regard to the end times, I do think we could be close, but then there have been many world shaking events in history that have caused christians to believe the end times were upon them. The biggest thing that I see is that our global communication link will make it much easier for all of the end times events prophesied be made obvious to all peoples & cultures. It would have been a bit strange for the end times to come before this, because many of the events would be isolated to just those in proximity to them, except of course for all the plages....
Anyway, all my own conjecture here, but I enjoy the conversation.
Marc Schelske said
at 2:22 pm on Mar 10, 2009
No question this is a tough chapter. I don't have time to do an extensive reply on prophetic interpretation - since that's what this is about. But I will confirm all of your confusion. This is a very obtuse statement, and greater minds than ours have wrestled for 2000 years on exactly what it means. Simply put, the interpretations range this way:
- Was Jesus prophesying something in the immediate future that would happen in Jerusalem, that has - from our time vantage point - already happened? Some interpreters believe that this is the case, and He was referring to the desecration of the temple by Romans that happened in 66 AD.
- Was Jesus prophesying something in the distant future that would happen in Jerusalem, that has - from our time vantage point - already happened? Some interpreters believe this is the case, referring to various anti-christ figures like Hitler who have desecrated Christian religion.
- Was Jesus prophesying something in the end-of-times, our future, that hasn't happened yet, that will happen in Jerusalem on the temple mount? Some interpreters believe this is the case (nearly all dispensationalist evangelicals believe this.)
- Was Jesus prophesying something in the end-of-times, our future, that hasn't happened yet, that will happen on a larger scale than Israel? A few interpreters believe this.
(continued....)
Marc Schelske said
at 2:22 pm on Mar 10, 2009
So, there's the range of options. There is no question that the temple was desecrated by Antiocus Epiphanes during the Selucid invasion of Jerusalem. He offered sacrifices of pig on the temple alters and sacrificed to foreign gods. That happened in 168 BC, and many interpreters believe this is what Daniel was prophesying. But of course, this is many years before Jesus. There is also no question that the temple was desecrated in 70 AD by Roman invaders, when the temple was destroyed brick-by-brick. This happened approx. 30 - 40 years after Christ's prophecy. But there seems to be pretty clear indication that Jesus is talking about something of a larger scale that happens at the end of the age. No one has really been able to pin this down unassailably.
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