May 25th

Numbers 34     Isaiah 26     Psalms 78: 40-72     (Click on the Reference to go to the passage)

Psalm 78 v40-72 and Isaiah 26

What a hard time the people of Israel had as they wavered in their trust of God. We often hear, or perhaps even ask, ‘How can there be a God when all this happens?’, and in the same way, when bad things happened they concluded God wasn’t with them and wandered off to other gods. The series of miracles surrounding the Exodus, and God’s astonishing protection of his people had been allowed to fade in their memories and in spite of painful reminders they still rebelled again and again. Yet even at the end of this series of disasters there is hope in the provision of David, a man of God, to lead them. In spite of all their wrong choices God was still planning for their good. It may not always seem so, but he also has planned for our good. Isaiah reminds us (v3) that even in the hard times we can trust the God who is our eternal Rock. Not that He will make our troubles disappear overnight – that’s obvious even from today’s passages, but is consistently written throughout the Bible – but we can trust Him for the long term. As a modern song says, “If it all just happened overnight, you wouldn’t know how much it means. If it all just happened overnight you would never learn to believe in what you cannot see.” Through the scriptures and through life, God is teaching us to trust Him, so that our minds can be kept in perfect peace.

(member of a homegroup)
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May 24th

Numbers 33     Isaiah 25     Psalms 78: 1-39     (Click on the Reference to go to the passage)

Psalm 78 v1-39  and Isaiah 25

It’s thanks to the Old Testament people of Israel that we have such accurate versions of so many ancient scriptures. Their children were faithfully taught and learned such huge sections by heart that it would put to shame the modest demands our schools make on our children’s memories. Most importantly they needed to remember what God had done for them throughout their people’s history, because it taught them above all things to trust and obey Him (v7). Isaiah 25 continues the theme of the wonderful things God has done and although our ‘New Covenant’ minds could not rejoice in the same way at the destruction of our enemies, we can share his rejoicing in the swallowing up of death itself. Isn’t it amazing, by the way, that Isaiah could write this the best part of a millennium before Jesus actually conquered death? It’s thrilling to read this and actually witness the prophet being ‘let into the secret’ of the eternal plan. And what will we say when He wipes away our tears? ‘Surely this is our God. We trusted Him and He saved us.’ Let’s trust Him now.

(member of a homegroup)

May 23rd

Numbers 32     Isaiah 24     Psalms 77     (Click on the Reference to go to the passage)

Psalm 77  Isaiah 24

Logically unfailing love cannot vanish and God’s promises cannot fail but at this point in time this is how it feels to the writer of this psalm.

And it’s in being real with God about the pain he feels and reciting the seeming contradiction which actually becomes his turning point for finding the answer. Instead of falling into self pity and despair he remembers that he must remember all that God has done for him and his people in the past. It’s not a glib ‘count your blessings’ but a real understanding of what God has done and therefore what he can and will do.

There’s no promise here that everything will come right today but by looking back over the past he knows he has confidence to trust God for the future.

Perhaps too often we want to be in the green pastures when actually God wants us to travel with Him in the Valley of the Shadow of Death, so that He can teach us how to cope and teach us how much we can trust Him. In Lecrae Moore’s words, “Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass, it’s about learning to dance in the rain.”

(member of a homegroup)

May 22nd

Numbers 31     Isaiah 23     Psalms 75-6     (Click on the Reference to go to the passage)

What is this vengeance that we read of in Numbers 31 v2? Does it feel like genocide or ethnic cleansing? Are we uncomfortable? Do we question why? How can a God of love countenance the murder of women and children (v17)?

We need to see that this is not human but ‘the Lord’s vengeance’ (v3). God is using the Israelites, His people, to cleanse the land. Consider God’s perspective. Look back to Genesis 15v12-19 when God promised the land to Abraham. God tells Abraham that his descendants will be enslaved for 400 years but “in the fourth generation your descendents will come back here, for the sin of the Amorites has not reached its full measure” (v16). Our God is slow to anger, longing that all should come to repentance (2 Peter 3v8&9). He is also a Holy God who will judge in His time all who rebel against Him. “I choose the appointed time; it is I who judge with equity” (Psalm 75 v2). Note how the soldiers purify themselves (v19/20), the awe they have for God when they realised that none of their number had died in battle and the freedom with which they brought “an offering ... to make atonement for ourselves before the Lord” after the spoils had been divided and a share given to priests and Levites (v48-50).

Today let’s ask questions, not of God, but of ourselves:

Who am I to question God? How do I understand the Holiness of God? Am I in awe of Him? Do I have His perspective (400 years/4 generations)? Do I give Him all He is due? Do I know and trust Him like the Psalmist?

Ultimately I need to revel in the fact that this awesome, Holy God is also my loving Heavenly Father, I need to learn afresh to submit to Him and praise Him for, as we will read later in Isaiah “my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD.

(member of a homegroup)

May 21st

Numbers 30     Isaiah 22     Psalms 74     (Click on the Reference to go to the passage)

Psalm 74

Psalm 74 is a lament for the way the temple in Jerusalem was destroyed and defiled by the Chaldeans who had sworn to utterly subdue God’s people and had burned all the meeting places of God in the land. The psalmist is desperate for God to act. He cries out to God asking when will he come and remember and deliver his people who he “purchased of old”. He sees no sign of God acting or of prophets to lead the way and say when their suffering might come to an end. But then he remembers who God is – a “king from of old working salvation in the earth.” he acknowledges that God has established the heavens and the seasons and therefore can be victorious over his enemies. He begs God to come and defeat his enemies.

This God is the same yesterday today and forever . We can remember what he has done – he has rescued us through Jesus; he is faithful and will not let us go. Even during those times when it seems as though those who oppose God are doing well and making the church seem weak and insignificant we can be sure that our God, the Creator God who controls and sustains all things, is still walking with us and hears and understands our prayers. When we are faced with difficulties we cannot overcome by ourselves he is there to hear us and to intervene. It is for us to ask him for help and trust in his goodness and his timing and to continue to praise him for all he is and all he has done.

(member of a homegroup)

May 20th

Numbers 29     Isaiah 21     Psalms 73     (Click on the Reference to go to the passage)

Psalm 73

Martin Luther wrote a letter to his barber in which he suggested some tips for meditating on the scriptures. First, ask the Holy Spirit to lead and help you, second, read the text carefully and then thirdly ask, what is this teaching me? Luther broke this final stage into six questions for the reader to ask of God, the text and themselves.

1.       How can I adore and worship God for what this tells me?

God is just. The wicked will not always rule the earth. v.18-20

God is gracious. When the psalmist rejects God, God holds onto him. v.22-24

2.       How can I confess a sin to God on the basis of what this tells me?

I still desire the prosperity the world offers. How different are my career aspirations from those who do not know the Lord. v.3

v.25-26 – can I say this with integrity? My heart wanders. It is rarely content in God in the moment but strives for the next goal.

I long to know the joy of believing v.25 with every fibre of my being, no longer craving the approval of others.

3.       How can I thank God for how Jesus sheds light on this text or how this text sheds light on the person and work of Jesus?

Jesus’ cross destroys the beast within me v.22 and makes my salvation certain v.24. Jesus’ calls me to fight for his kingdom against injustice v.6-9.

4.       How can I petition God on the basis of what this says?

Would your kingdom come in and through my life and your church – would the world see your glory and repent…

5.       How would my life look different if I really believed this text?

I would see the lies I live for and seek instead a more fulfilled and exciting life for his kingdom alone.

6.       Why would God show me this now?

(member of a homegroup)

May 19th

Numbers 28     Isaiah 19-20     Psalms 72     (Click on the Reference to go to the passage)

Psalm 72

Wow!  What a prayer for the king!  I don’t think I’ve ever prayed a prayer even remotely like this for our queen, it normally ends up being something like, “thank you Lord for our queen, please bless her and give her, umm, wisdom...amen.”

But what I really like about this psalm is how it’s blessing, and a prayer, and a declaration too.  This is speaking about the ideal king, the king without the blunders.  It goes from mere boring requests to bold declarations about what the king and his kingdom will be like.  In verses 9-14 there is a section of declarations, these are things that will happen!  They’re not requests. How bold is this prayer!?

But of course in the idealism of this king, we can see another more perfect king.  The King.  King Jesus.  All the things in this psalm are only truly going to be fulfilled in God’s Kingdom, but in His kingdom, this is normal!  We can rest assured that Jesus’ reign will be refreshing like spring rain (v6), when we let Jesus rule us, this is what our life looks like.  There isn’t space here, but maybe you could note down all the blessings in this psalm, that’s what life with the Lord is like.

So maybe I should pray more like this for our queen, but more importantly, we should pray like this about the Kingdom.  Even if we just echo v8, may Jesus reign in everyone, across all known boundaries!

(member of the youth ministry team)