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dailyaudiobible · 4 years

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04/24/2020 DAB Transcript

Judges 2:10-3:31, Luke 22:14-34, Psalms 92:1-93:5, Proverbs 14:1-2

Today is the 24th day of April welcome to the Daily Audio Bible I’m Brian it’s great to be here with you as we move forward taking another step in the week. I guess we’re at the end of the week now but taking another step forward in the Scriptures. And we’re well on our way but we’ve got a ways to go. That’s the beauty of the rhythm of life together around the Global Campfire, allowing God's word to speak into our hearts each day. So, we started the book of Judges yesterday we talked about it and it's kind of this…well...it's what happens after Joshua's leadership and after the children of Israel have moved into the Promised Land. So, let's continue that journey. Judges chapter 2 verse 10 through 3:31 today. And we’re reading for the Amplified Bible this week.

Commentary:

Okay. So, in the book of Judges we met three of Israel's Judges – Othniel, Ehud and Shamgar and they weren't all at the same time. So, we…we…we kind of pass through like maybe a century and a half of time in our reading today and we’re already noticing this kind of back and forth. Like the people fall away from God, serve other gods, do their own thing, then oppression falls upon them, the enemy comes down upon them and oppresses them and they crowd to God and God raises somebody up. But what once that person dies then everything kind of goes back, it slides away, they fall away until something else happens and then somebody rises up. But since we’re covering so much time in such a short amount of reading it's easy enough for us to think like, you know, Ehud was around for a few years, Othniel was around for a few years, Shamgar was around for…they…they like…they were elected officials or something and a lot of time is passing. And, so, if we look under the surface as we’re going to the book of Judges we can see just how and what directions the people are falling away. And as we watch how they are falling away we can also look into our own lives for the same kind of patterns because although we’re passing through centuries and centuries in the book of Judges the circle is kind of the same. Like they keep repeating the same circle and so do we a lot of the time.

Then in our reading from the book of Luke today we have come again to what we know as the Last Supper. And we know it as the Last Supper, because that's what it was, a last meal, like a last moment with friends where nothings gonna be same again after this. And it's in this meal Jesus institutes the sacrament of communion or the Eucharist and as Jesus is explaining this and passing the cup, He mentions that there's a betrayer that’s at the table. And like, we know the story, so we don’t have to unpack all of this but there’s a betrayer at the table. And, so, everybody then at the table, all the disciples start asking who…who…who it could be. And kinda as the as the gospel of Luke reads, once they kinda get done with trying to figure out who it could be then this kind of transitions to a different discussion about who is the greatest of them, right? So, if they’re kinda trying to figure out who's the lowest of them, then it would…“Stop! Me, I'm the greatest” you know…you can see how the conversation could turn. But then they get on this conversation about who’s the greatest of them. I mean can you imagine being Jesus in this situation if you’re sitting there and you’re explaining that your blood is going to be shed and you’re instituting this remembrance, this thing that should be ongoing among your friends so that you will be remembered for what you've done for them. And it's not that you’re just kind of giving information but you know like tonight, later on tonight you're going to be arrested and beat up and you’re sitting there at this meal watching those that have followed you the whole way fighting over who is the greatest. I imagine that would be discouraging to say the least and would only add to the isolation Jesus must've felt in those moments. Let’s pause here for a second. Like none of us have been around that table…we weren't at that particular meal, but our culture is continually watching people, even in the faith jockey for position about who can be the biggest, brightest star, who can be the greatest. I mean our culture encourages this. Jesus responded to this. He responded to His friends, but He's responding to us. Jesus said, “it's not going to be that way with you. On the contrary, the one who is the greatest among you must become like the youngest and least privileged and the one who is the leader, like the servant. For who is the greater the one who reclines at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines at the table? But I am among you as the one who serves.” That’s actually a pretty big reality check for us because, yeah, we can embrace the culture, we can embrace the world and work inside the world system which is for us to get as much as we can, and to become as famous or as big or as important or whatever as we can. something to give us an identity of our own or we can understand that Jesus is telling us something very important about His kingdom. And that's basically if you want to be the greatest in His kingdom, then you must be the greatest servant, like it's…it's backward and upside down to the way we see things and Jesus is saying greatest in my kingdom is the servant, the one who is like Christ.

Prayer:

Jesus, we invite You into that. We are pulled away from that awareness and that understanding every single day. Our culture does it, but we can’t just blame our culture. We are looking for some kind of identity and we’re trying to craft it and build it based on the criteria of the world and it is so counterintuitive to think if…if I serve well, if I lower myself, if I humble myself then I am actually being lifted up in God's kingdom. So, Holy Spirit come into this. Help us to become more and more aware of this because what You are offering is a way out of the world, a way out of that other system that is nothing more than a treadmill. No matter how high we rise can't stay there in that system. Whereas in Your kingdom You’re saying You don't even have to play that game, it's not even a real thing, it's a completely false reality, it doesn't lead anywhere. Humble Yourself, be a servant, love one another, serve one another. This is the way of Your kingdom. And we can think to ourselves, “well if I try do really do that for very long, I’m just gonna get walked all over.” But the way of Your kingdom is that everyone is on that same page. No one is taking advantage of anyone, there is no lack. So, Father this is how we be in the world but not of it. We have eyes to see these things and ears to hear these things. And, so come and help us become more and more aware of what our hearts posture, what our motivations are leading us into. Are we trying to scratch and eke out an identity in some way, are we trying to just get more and more and more so we can be served, or do we have the freedom to know that we are Your child, everything belongs to You and we are here to be light in the darkness, inviting everyone into the ways of Your kingdom. Come Holy Spirit into this we pray. In Jesus name we ask. Amen.

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And that's it for today. I’m Brian I love you and I'll be waiting for you here tomorrow.

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dfroza · 4 years

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A humble heart pleases our Creator

and being our True selves as daughters & sons who are identified by Love

(Light is Love)

Today’s reading of the Scriptures from the book of Luke with chapter 18:

One day Jesus taught the apostles to keep praying and never stop or lose hope. He shared with them this illustration:

“In a certain town there was a civil judge, a thick-skinned and godless man who had no fear of others’ opinions. And there was a poor widow in that town who kept pleading with the judge, ‘Grant me justice and protect me against my oppressor!’

“He ignored her pleas for quite some time, but she kept asking. Eventually he said to himself, ‘This widow keeps annoying me, demanding her rights, and I’m tired of listening to her. Even though I’m not a religious man and don’t care about the opinions of others, I’ll just get her off my back by answering her claims for justice and I’ll rule in her favor. Then she’ll leave me alone.’”

The Lord continued, “Did you hear what the ungodly judge said—that he would answer her persistent request? Don’t you know that God, the true judge, will grant justice to all of his chosen ones who cry out to him night and day? He will pour out his Spirit upon them. He will not delay to answer you and give you what you ask for. God will give swift justice to those who don’t give up. So be ever praying, ever expecting, just like the widow was with the judge. Yet when the Son of Man comes back, will he find this kind of persistent faithfulness in his people?”

Jesus taught this parable to those who were convinced they were morally upright and those who trusted in their own virtue yet looked down on others with disgust:

“Once there were two men who went into the temple to pray. One was a proud religious leader, the other a despised tax collector. The religious leader stood apart from the others and prayed, ‘How I thank you, O God, that I’m not wicked like everyone else. They’re cheaters, swindlers, and crooks—like that tax collector over there. God, you know that I never cheat or commit adultery; I fast from food twice a week and I give you a tenth of all I make.’

“The tax collector stood off alone in the corner, away from the Holy Place, and covered his face in his hands, feeling that he was unworthy to even look up to God. Beating his breast, he sobbed with brokenness and tears saying, ‘God, please, in your mercy and because of the blood sacrifice, forgive me, for I am nothing but the most miserable of all sinners!’

“Which one of them left for home that day made right with God? It was the humble tax collector and not the religious leader! For everyone who praises himself will one day be humiliated before all, and everyone who humbles himself will one day be lifted up and honored before all.”

The people brought their babies and small children to Jesus so that he might lay his hands on them to bless them. When the disciples saw this, they scolded the parents and told them to stop troubling the Master. But Jesus called for the parents, the children, and his disciples to come and listen to him. Then he told them, “Never hinder a child from coming to me. Let them all come, for God’s kingdom realm belongs to them as much as it does to anyone else. They demonstrate to you what faith is all about. Learn this well: unless you receive the revelation of the kingdom realm the same way a little child receives it, you will never be able to enter in.”

One day a wealthy Jewish nobleman of high standing posed this question to Jesus: “Wonderful Teacher, what must I do to be saved and receive eternal life?”

Jesus answered, “Why would you call me wonderful when there is only one who is wonderful—and that is God alone? You already know what is right and what the commandments teach: ‘Do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not lie, and respectfully honor your father and your mother.’”

The wealthy leader replied, “These are the very things I’ve been doing for as long as I can remember.”

“Ah,” Jesus said. “But there’s still one thing you’re missing in your life.”

“What is that?” asked the man.

“You must go and sell everything you own and give all the proceeds to the poor so you will have eternal treasures. Then come and follow me.”

When the rich leader heard these words, he was devastated, for he was extremely wealthy.

Jesus saw his disappointment, and looking right at him he said, “It is next to impossible for those who have everything to enter into God’s kingdom realm. Nothing could be harder! It could be compared to trying to stuff a rope through the eye of a needle.”

Those who heard this said, “Then who can be saved?”

Jesus responded, “What appears humanly impossible is more than possible with God. For God can do what man cannot.”

Peter said, “Lord, see how we’ve left all that we have, our houses and our careers, to follow you.”

Jesus replied, “Listen to my words: anyone who leaves his home behind and chooses God’s kingdom realm over wife, children, parents, and family, it will come back to him many more times in this lifetime. And in the age to come, he will inherit even more than that—he will inherit eternal life!”

Jesus took the Twelve aside in private and told them, “We are going to Jerusalem so that everything prophesied about the Son of Man will be fulfilled. They will betray him and hand him over to the people, and they will mock him, insult him, and spit in his face. And after they have abused and flogged the Son of Man, they will kill him. But in three days he will rise again.”

The disciples didn’t have a clue what he was saying, for his words were a mystery that was hidden from them.

As Jesus and his followers arrived at Jericho, there was a blind beggar sitting on the roadside. When he heard the crowd approaching, he asked, “What’s all this commotion about?”

“It’s Jesus!” they said. “Jesus the Nazarene is passing by.”

The blind beggar shouted, “Jesus, Son of David, have pity and show me mercy!”

Those who were in the front of the crowd scolded him and warned him to be quiet. But the blind beggar screamed out even louder, “Jesus, Son of David, show me mercy!”

Suddenly Jesus stopped. He told those nearby, “Bring the man over to me.” When they brought him before Jesus, he asked the man, “What is it you want me to do for you?”

“Lord,” he said, “please, I want to see again.”

Jesus said, “Now you will see. Receive your sight this moment. For your faith in me has given you sight and new life.”

Instantly he could see again. His eyes popped opened, and he saw Jesus. He shouted loud praises to God and he followed Jesus. And when the crowd saw what happened, they too erupted with shouts of praise to God.

The Book of Luke, Chapter 18 (The Passion Translation)

Today’s paired chapter of the Testaments is Joshua 15 which documents the dividing of the land to the Israelites:

[Judah]

The lot for the people of Judah, their clans, extended south to the border of Edom, to the wilderness of Zin in the extreme south.

The southern border ran from the tip of the Salt Sea south of The Tongue; it ran southward from Scorpions Pass, went around Zin and just south of Kadesh Barnea; then it ran past Hezron, ascended to Addar, and curved around to Karka; from there it passed along to Azmon, came out at the Brook of Egypt, ending at the Sea. This is the southern boundary.

The eastern boundary: the Salt Sea up to the mouth of the Jordan.

The northern boundary started at the shallows of the Sea at the mouth of the Jordan, went up to Beth Hoglah and around to the north of Beth Arabah and to the Stone of Bohan son of Reuben. The border then ascended to Debir from Trouble Valley and turned north toward Gilgal, which lies opposite Red Pass, just south of the gorge. The border then followed the Waters of En Shemesh and ended at En Rogel. The border followed the Valley of Ben Hinnom along the southern slope of the Jebusite ridge (that is, Jerusalem). It ascended to the top of the mountain opposite Hinnom Valley on the west, at the northern end of Rephaim Valley; the border then took a turn at the top of the mountain to the spring, the Waters of Nephtoah, and followed the valley out to Mount Ephron, turned toward Baalah (that is, Kiriath Jearim), took another turn west of Baalah to Mount Seir, curved around to the northern shoulder of Mount Jearim (that is, Kesalon), descended to Beth Shemesh, and crossed to Timnah. The border then went north to the ridge of Ekron, turned toward Shikkeron, passed along to Mount Baalah, and came out at Jabneel. The border ended at the Sea.

The western border: the coastline of the Great Sea.

This is the boundary around the people of Judah for their clans.

Joshua gave Caleb son of Jephunneh a section among the people of Judah, according to God’s command. He gave him Kiriath Arba, that is, Hebron. Arba was the ancestor of Anak.

Caleb drove out three Anakim from Hebron: Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai, all descendants of Anak. He marched up from there against the people of Debir. Debir used to be called Kiriath Sepher.

Caleb said, “Whoever attacks Kiriath Sepher and takes it, I’ll give my daughter Acsah to him as his wife.” Othniel son of Kenaz, Caleb’s brother, took it; so Caleb gave him his daughter Acsah as his wife.

When she arrived she got him

to ask for farmland from her father.

As she dismounted from her donkey

Caleb asked her, “What would you like?”

She said, “Give me a marriage gift.

You’ve given me desert land;

Now give me pools of water!”

And he gave her the upper and the lower pools.

This is the inheritance of the tribe of the people of Judah, clan by clan.

The southern towns of the tribe of Judah in the Negev were near the boundary of Edom:

Kabzeel, Eder, Jagur,

Kinah, Dimonah, Adadah,

Kedesh, Hazor, Ithnan,

Ziph, Telem, Bealoth,

Hazor Hadattah, Kerioth Hezron (that is, Hazor),

Amam, Shema, Moladah,

Hazar Gaddah, Heshmon, Beth Pelet,

Hazar Shual, Beersheba, Biziothiah,

Baalah, Iim, Ezem,

Eltolad, Kesil, Hormah,

Ziklag, Madmannah, Sansannah,

Lebaoth, Shilhim, Ain, and Rimmon—

a total of twenty-nine towns and their villages.

In the Shephelah (the western foothills) there were:

Eshtaol, Zorah, Ashnah,

Zanoah, En Gannim, Tappuah, Enam,

Jarmuth, Adullam, Socoh, Azekah,

Shaaraim, Adithaim, and Gederah (or Gederothaim)—

fourteen towns and their villages.

Zenan, Hadashah, Migdal Gad,

Dilean, Mizpah, Joktheel,

Lachish, Bozkath, Eglon,

Cabbon, Lahmas, Kitlish,

Gederoth, Beth Dagon, Naamah, and Makkedah—

sixteen towns and their villages.

Libnah, Ether, Ashan,

Iphtah, Ashnah, Nezib,

Keilah, Aczib, and Mareshah—

nine towns and their villages.

Ekron with its towns and villages;

From Ekron, west to the sea, all that bordered Ashdod with its villages;

Ashdod with its towns and villages;

Gaza with its towns and villages all the way to the Brook of Egypt.

The Great Sea is the western border.

In the hill country:

Shamir, Jattir, Socoh,

Dannah, Kiriath Sannah (that is, Debir),

Anab, Eshtemoh, Anim,

Goshen, Holon, and Giloh—

eleven towns and their villages.

Arab, Dumah, Eshan,

Janim, Beth Tappuah, Aphekah,

Humtah, Kiriath Arba (that is, Hebron), and Zior—

nine towns and their villages.

Maon, Carmel, Ziph, Juttah,

Jezreel, Jokdeam, Zanoah,

Kain, Gibeah, and Timnah—

ten towns and their villages.

Halhul, Beth Zur, Gedor,

Maarath, Beth Anoth, and Eltekon—

six towns and their villages.

Kiriath Baal (that is, Kiriath Jearim) and Rabbah—

two towns and their villages.

In the wilderness:

Beth Arabah, Middin, Secacah,

Nibshan, the City of Salt, and En Gedi—

six towns and their villages.

The people of Judah couldn’t get rid of the Jebusites who lived in Jerusalem. The Jebusites stayed put, living alongside the people of Judah. They are still living there in Jerusalem.

The Book of Joshua, Chapter 15 (The Message)

my personal reading of the Scriptures for Sunday, August 16 of 2020 with a paired chapter from each Testament along with Today’s Psalms and Proverbs

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himynameisobed · 4 years

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camping.

my family and the significant others (luz + john) went camping at voyageur provincial park over the weekend to celebrate my mom's 60th birthday (see my previous post for a photoset), and even though by the end of it we realized our family was decidedly not a family of camping people, it was still a fun time all around and it was really nice to have all of us together again. the park itself was about 5 hours away. i showed up at my parents' place at around 1:30PM on the friday because we were supposed to leave at 2:00PM, but in typical cundangan fashion we ended up leaving about 2 hours later at around 4:00PM, just in time to hit a bit of rush hour traffic on the way out of the city. on these trips, the actual long drive over to wherever it is we're going is often one of my favourite parts, because i love stopping at one of the on routes on the way, which we always do. it's because i love transient, liminal spaces, like airports and hotel rooms. i love seeing people in environments that are temporary and foreign to them. i think there's something quietly exciting about it. my sister and john arrived at the camp grounds first, followed by othniel and luz (they were sharing a camp site, while the rest of our family shared one directly across from theirs, past a border of trees), so they were able to set up before we got there. we ended up arriving at the campgrounds a little after 11PM and having to pitch our huge tent (which we'd borrowed from our family friends, who are a family of campers) in the dark, guided by the meager light of a few lanterns and headlamps. it was actually pretty easy getting it set up, considering how big and complicated it looks on the outside, and it would've taken no time at all in the daytime. the camp ground itself was not what i was expecting. i was expecting us to be in the middle of nowhere, surrounded only by the quiet of the woods with no trace of civilization or any other people for miles around. accordingly, i told everyone that i'd really be roughing it that weekend, playing man vs nature in a losing battle and coming home beaten and weathered, but stronger and more resolute. instead, there were other campsites only a few feet away in every direction, and we were actually pretty close to the bathrooms, which were surprisingly clean. after pitching the tent, we made some instant noodles and stayed up for a while just chatting and planning the next day. i got to meet othniel and luz's dog, bear, who was so cute and friendly and very well-behaved. his stoicism and patience actually reminded me of my brother, funnily enough. i wonder if it's true what they say about dogs and their owners; that if they spend enough time together, they start resembling each other, like that one disney movie (see: lady and the tramp). that first night was terrible for sleep for me and ophir. we lay awake in frustration for hours, until we started to see the light of day pouring through the mesh roof of the tent (which we'd left open so we could stargaze). we both decided get out and pull the covering over the mesh to at least simulate night, and then we spent at least 15 minutes killing all the mosquitoes that were buzzing around inside the tent (they kept buzzing directly into our ears, waking us up right before we were about to fall asleep). i checked the time at one point and it was around 5:30AM, and we were both relieved because we'd thought it was already 7AM. i ended up getting a little bit of sleep, but then waking up before everyone else in my tent to have breakfast with everyone who was already awake. my dad, who is an amazing cook, always makes such good food on these trips. we spent the day at the beach near the campgrounds, tossing a water-logged football back on forth and playing monkey in the middle. my mom didn't want to be exposed to such harsh sunlight so i ended up walking back to go get her and bring her to the water later. my dad made a homemade boodle fight for dinner, and then we went to watch the sunset at the more public beach, where orpah and john had set up the surprise for my mom. the surprise had been giving me anxiety all day because nobody seemed to remember the plan enough to stick to it and everything was pretty touch and go up until the point of execution. we'd agreed to do the surprise at the beach at sunset after the boodle fight dinner, which we agreed we should have at 6:30 so we could leave for the beach latest at 8. but then after we got back from swimming at around 5PM, everyone kept talking about eating tacos as a snack and i could see my dad getting visibly irritated because he was worried we wouldn't be hungry enough to appreciate the boodle fight if we had tacos as a snack so close to dinner time. anyway, it all ended up working out (we ended up saving the tacos for a late snack instead), and my mom was really happy with our surprise. orpah and john had gone ahead to the beach under the pretense of needing to visit the camp store to pick up some firewood, and we met up with them around half an hour later after they'd set up. we showed my mom a video of greetings from her whole family in the philippines (and all of us kids), presented her with our gifts (i painted a portrait of her), and then had her blow out her candles on her cake (which othniel had bought earlier that day after he and luz left the campsite to go help their friend move). it was geting pretty dark so we headed back to our campsite to have the cake and just hang out before going to bed, and this time i had a way easier time getting to sleep, even though a pretty loud family had moved into a campsite just across from us. we spent the next day packing and getting ready to leave and then we decided to go and visit my brother othniel's new apartment in montreal before heading back to toronto, since montreal was already so close by. his new apartment was much bigger and nicer than his old apartment, which is good because bear is a pretty big dog. we decided to go see ophir's new apartment too, since it was only a few blocks away, and on our way back, we went to get some chinese food, but there was a bunch of commotion in the area because of something that involved several very attractive firement and caution tape. the restaurant we wanted to go to was within the perimeters of the caution tape, so we kind of just darted across the street to get to it and hoped no one would care. omri and ophir went to get bubble tea while my mom and i waited for our food and othniel and luz stood outside trying to figure out what was happening (something about the restaurant next door having too much smoke?). we brought everything back and had dinner at othniel's new apartment before setting off for toronto. i always love being back in montreal now, even if it's only for a sliver of a moment. i always get a little pang of nostalgia for all the bygone moments of my academic youth - all those carefree late nights out surrounded by friends, and my inability to turn a corner without bumping into someone i knew. i will always remember those as freer times, when things felt a little less set in their ways and every possibility of the future was still at my fingertips. but then again, who says things can't be like that now? maybe i just need a little shift in perspective. after all, i'm still pretty young in the grand scheme of things. anyway, we headed back home after dinner, stopping at a tim hortons at an on route on the way, and i ended up home in my apartment a little after midnight. all in all, it was a good weekend, as it always is with my family. my mom said she'd felt like crying several times while watching the video we made her, but she stopped herself because the whole thing would've taken too long otherwise. i would consider that a success.

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mahokotei · 6 years

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hey i’m putting this under a readmore so it doesn’t take up a whole screen (sorry mobile users)

but i wrote up a FEW descriptions for characters from aliprand’s story today and i want to post them here too

their inspos are kind of obvious but hrgh

aliprand is your generic protagonist, really- bad backstory (his whole land burnt down at the hands of the cult), but outgoing, tries to look towards the future. kind of a dumbass but in a good way

shiva is his opposing force, but not an antagonist- he lost his land to the powers of the orb opposite to the one that took aliprand's, and he's quiet, secluded, and depressed as hell because he thinks it's his fault. he's smart and knows how to calculate his plans properly so they always work out

evelyn and percy are minor characters, but are the parents of fox/lelune and wren/solaire. they helped lark on his adventures, before evelyn "retired" to raise the kids and percy died in a fight against vladimir. evelyn ends up in a relationship with lark and being canaan's biological mother in mainline eden

fox/lelune is the slightly older twin of evelyn's kids, and much like his mother is an observatory, calm person. he doesn't like to fight, and often is found hiding from his sister.

wren/solaire is younger, and she's so much like her father it's terrifying. she's impulsive, loud, chaotic, and would probably get herself killed if not for her brother. she loves to torment him by chasing him around with household objects

othniel is the most renowned of a group of alchemists, and one of the first of his species. he's very in tune with the world's ether, and much like his enemy, is able to liquefy ether's physical form and turn it into potions and the like. he rescues haruka and heals him.

sable, on the other hand, is the OTHER most renowned alchemist, and othniel's enemy/rival. she also has the ability to liquefy ether, and uses this to power guns that shoot blasts of the energy.

haruka is one of the eldest of his family, which is the first group of his race. he mentors sakura, his youngest sister. he's also very trained in ether, as his race is based entirely around it. he loves to read and write, and he's likely got his world's equivalent of autism.

sakura is the youngest of her family, and despite sleeping through all of haruka's lessons, is optimistic and bouncy. she's excited to learn how to use ether specifically- she wants to do cool tricks with it like her big brother cygnus did before he "got sick".

cygnus is one of the older members of the family, and orion's mentor. he was seen as a prophet for his people, reading the ether of the world to predict natural disasters and the intentions of strangers. he rarely speaks, and when he does, he's either soft-spoken or VERY ANGRY AND LOUD. he ends up nearly dying of a lack of ether when he goes too far with trying to prevent a prediction of his.

orion is the king of his race, and one of the youngest. he was taught similar ways of using the ether abilties cygnus has, but after his mentor-brother fell ill, he became full of hatred for him and wanted to prove that he was better and "not as weak" as cygnus.

#dusty post #aliprand #shiva #evelyn #percival #solaire #lelune #othniel #sable #haruka #sakura #cygnus #orion #artificial signs

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gracedman · 7 years

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Caleb, A Most Underrated and Overlooked Man

We like leaders, the guys at the top. Our media is filled with what they say and do. The good and the bad. We put them under the microscope and micro-analyze their lives. Their families and children rightfully or wrongfully fill the media and the thoughts of those under them. Some leaders even demand worship and do not depend upon the chance decisions of others to have it. We could even do this with the Bible and it headliners. As I look at Hebrews 11 and the list of people there, I don’t find Caleb among them. Yet the more I look at certain parts of the Old Testament, the more remarkable he becomes. Even when compared to Joshua, the leader in that period, Caleb may have the edge. Joshua did have the book named after him, but Caleb may have come out better in the long run.

Joshua and Caleb, plus the ten others, came back from forty days of spying and exploring the land of promise. After giving their reports, this was the result at the end of that day:

Numbers 14:37–38 (ESV)

The (10) men who brought up a bad report of the land—died by plague before the Lord. Of those men who went to spy out the land, only Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh remained alive.

Then many of the remaining men of Israel decided to take up the challenge to go and conquer the land. Soon they were dying as well, having gone against God’s counsel through Moses:

Numbers 14:39–42 (ESV)

When Moses told these words to all the people of Israel, the people mourned greatly. And they rose early in the morning and went up to the heights of the hill country, saying, “Here we are. We will go up to the place that the Lord has promised, for we have sinned.” But Moses said, “Why now are you transgressing the command of the Lord, when that will not succeed? Do not go up, for the Lord is not among you, lest you be struck down before your enemies.

Numbers 14:44–45 (ESV)

But they presumed to go up to the heights of the hill country, although neither the ark of the covenant of the Lord nor Moses departed out of the camp. Then the Amalekites and the Canaanites who lived in that hill country came down and defeated them and pursued them, even to Hormah.

Of the remaining two men, I note one important difference. First, God said this about them both:

Numbers 14:30 (ESV)

Not one shall come into the land where I swore that I would make you dwell, except Caleb the son of Jephunneh and Joshua the son of Nun.

Every man listed in the census from twenty years and up would die within the next forty years without placing one foot in the land. Moses would not even make it but not for the same reason. Note here that Caleb’s name is mentioned first before Joshua’s. I don’t think it by accident. For consider what God said to Caleb and Caleb alone:

Numbers 14:24 (ESV)

But my servant Caleb, because he has a different spirit and has followed me fully, I will bring into the land into which he went, and his descendants shall possess it.

You may ask me, “Why is this significant? Or So what?” But look at some of the other facts about Caleb. His name, Caleb, means “a Yapper” or a “dog.” He is as common as a barking dog. He is nothing in himself. His father’s name, Jephunneh, means “God is turned or God is reconciled.” Showing that his family was found to be true believers in the God who provides redemption. Next, look at how God describes him, “my servant Caleb because he has a different spirit and has followed me fully.” God saw his heart of faith. Everywhere Caleb had been for those forty days. He had rejoiced in and rehearsed the goodness and greatness of God, who had promised it to his people. By faith, he possessed it for himself and for his loved ones. God answered those prayers: “I will bring (him) into the land into which he went, and his descendants shall possess it.” I don’t see Joshua and his descendants called out this way. Just Caleb. When we read the Book of Joshua, we find Joshua becomes God’s mouthpiece and leader, but again Caleb quietly steals the show with his acquisitions and the spirit of his family. Just a sample:

Joshua 15:13–19 (ESV)

According to the commandment of the Lord to Joshua, he gave to Caleb the son of Jephunneh a portion among the people of Judah, Kiriath-arba, that is, Hebron (Arba was the father of Anak). And Caleb drove out from there the three sons of Anak, Sheshai and Ahiman and Talmai, the descendants of Anak. And he went up from there against the inhabitants of Debir. Now the name of Debir formerly was Kiriath-sepher. And Caleb said, “Whoever strikes Kiriath-sepher and captures it, to him will I give Achsah my daughter as wife.” And Othniel the son of Kenaz, the brother of Caleb, captured it. And he gave him Achsah his daughter as wife. When she came to him, she urged him to ask her father for a field. And she got off her donkey, and Caleb said to her, “What do you want?” She said to him, “Give me a blessing. Since you have given me the land of the Negeb, give me also springs of water.” And he gave her the upper springs and the lower springs.

Caleb and his family took down the sons of Anak. The very giants that had scared the ten spies to death. (Num. 13:28) And possessed their territory and cities. Hebron means personal fellowship. This is what Caleb established for his descendants, personal fellowship with God. And his tribe? The tribe of Judah. From his tribe would come the Messiah himself. Joshua would become a great leader. A true force for God, but his tribe, Ephraim, one of the two of Joseph’s portion, would soon be lost to the northern kingdom and then scattered. In the long run, I think Caleb got the better portion of the two.

Lord Jesus, oh forgive us for our natural shortsightedness. We are so prone to walk by sight and in natural thinking. Help us to remember that it takes faith to truly please you. Show us your ways, oh please. Amen.!!!

#Caleb

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