Now when all the kings west of the Jordan heard about these things—the kings in the hill country, in the western foothills, and along the entire coast of the Mediterranean Sea as far as Lebanon (the kings of the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites)—they came together to wage war against Joshua and Israel. – Joshua 9:1-2

Today's Scripture Reading (March 31, 2025): Joshua 9

There is some evidence that at least part of the hope of Russia in attacking Ukraine was to divide the West. Vladimir Putin is a student of history and is well aware that European conflicts have produced divisions before. Often, those divisions have lasted until it was almost too late to recover. Such was the truth in World War II. Then, Nazi Germany had been the aggressor and had been allowed to run over central Europe for a while before a response was finally given. And even then, the response was muted. By the time the European powers responded to the threat of Adolf Hitler, it was too late for mainland Europe. Hitler already controlled most of it. The only nations that remained were those who had declared their neutrality, although not even all of those were left alone. Had things gone a little differently, the rest of the countries could be picked off at Hitler's leisure. Who knows what might have happened if Japan had not bombed the United States and brought them into the conflict?

If division was part of Russia's plan, it hasn't worked, at least not yet. The role of the United States is a little more murky, but even that is a bit of a historical reality. The United States has a history of wanting to go it alone; there is absolutely nothing new about Donald Trump's Make America Great Again strategy. It has been used several times over the years and usually results in a much weaker United States. Someday, we may learn that we are stronger together than we can ever be if we go it alone. And that the world needs heroes who will stand up against those who want to lead us into these solitary moments. It might be easier to go it alone, but it is seldom better.

In Canaan, there was a history of city-states who liked their independence, often choosing to fight with each other. But Israel presented a threat to all of them. After the defeat of Jericho and Ai, the kings of these cities got together and decided that it was time for them to stop their independent actions and band together for the defense of the land. Israel's original defeat at Ai bolstered their belief. The Canaanite kings realized that there was a way to defeat these intruders. Sin often has that lasting effect; it exposes our weaknesses.

Did the strategy work? Actually, in some ways, the answer is yes. Israel, for whatever reason, did not take all of Canaan for hundreds of years after they crossed the River Jordan and entered the area. The Philistine cities along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea (think of an area along the coast a little larger than the Gaza Strip) were thorns in the side of Israel for generations. The city of Jebus (Jerusalem) did not fall into Israelite hands until the reign of David. In some ways, the current problems in the Gaza Strip and the Golan Heights are a continuation of the struggles that Israel had in antiquity. A combination of the unity of the people opposing Israel and the sin of the people of God has made Canaan or Palestine a contested land ever since. And it is proof of the lessons that we seem unable to learn. 

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Joshua 10

Then the LORD said to Joshua, "Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Take the whole army with you, and go up and attack Ai. For I have delivered into your hands the king of Ai, his people, his city and his land. – Joshua 8:1

Today's Scripture Reading (March 30, 2025): Joshua 8

Some battles are remembered only because of an unexpected result. The battle of Agincourt, which was part of the larger Hundred Years War, fought between 1337-1453 C.E., was fought on October 25, 1415. The battle should have been a French victory; the French went into the fight with superior numbers and an expectation of victory. However, the English, under Henry V's leadership, ended up winning the battle. Henry was able to win the battle against the larger numbers because the French underestimated the lethality of his longbowman, the distance at which these archers could strike, and the muddy terrain that disallowed any swift movement on the part of the French. I am not sure that even Henry expected to win, not if we believe the story that William Shakespeare handed down is in the least bit accurate. Still, Henry had a plan for victory, which seemed to be more than the French possessed; the latter seemed just to be depending on their superior numbers. Among the leaders, only Edward, the Duke of York, was killed on the English side, while the French lost all five of their military commanders, two who were killed and three who surrendered to the English forces. The Battle of Agincourt is remembered for the unexpected English win and the fact that superior numbers never outweigh the existence of a military strategy for battle.

As Israel went up against Ai for the first time, they depended on superior numbers and a healthy reputation for their victory. There is no doubt that sin inside the Israelite Camp was the main reason for their defeat, but they also seemed to go into the battle without a plan. Neither mistake could be repeated when Israel went up against Ai a second time. The second attack of the city would depend on an even more significant numerical advantage ["Take the whole army with you" (Joshua 8:1) vs. "Not all the army will have to go up against Ai. Send two or three thousand men to take it and do not weary the whole army, for only a few people live there" (Joshua 7:3)]. And the second attack of Ai would entail a plan [Set an ambush behind the city (Joshua 8:2)]. Most importantly, this time God would be with them. 

This time, in faith, the people could expect a different result. Just as they had taken Jericho on faith, so would Ai fall before the God of Israel. It could never be about the numbers, military strength, or strategy. The most critical factor in the taking of Canaan was the presence of God.

That hasn't changed. We might be disappointed if we go into battle depending on the "stable genius" in our midst. The presence of sin and our willingness to do wrong things because someone has told us that is the way to win will always decide the battle in the favor of our enemies. But, in our weakness, God continues to be our strength.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Joshua 8

The Canaanites and the other people of the country will hear about this and they will surround us and wipe out our name from the earth. What then will you do for your own great name?” – Joshua 7:9

Today's Scripture Reading (March 29, 2025): Joshua 7

Sun Tzu is credited with writing his Chinese military Treatise, “The Art of War,” sometime during the 5th century B.C.E. The work is composed on thirteen chapters with each chapter relating to a different skill set that Sun Tzu (Master Sun) believed was necessary in any winning strategy employed during a conflict. But what might be the most surprising element of “The Art of War” is that this treatise on how to win a war in antiquity is still a document that many contemporary generals read and use.

Some of the modern uses of Sun Tzu’s military tactics include the idea of “Shock and Awe” or “Rapid Dominance.” Shock and Awe was used during the Gulf War. Sun Tzu’s phrases his ancient advice on this tactic saying it is the "selective, instant beheading of military or societal targets to achieve shock and awe." 

Another piece of advice from the legendary Chinese General is that the goal of any conflict should always be “to subdue the enemy without fighting” (Sun Tzu). Another way that Sun Tzu says this is that “The greatest victory is that which requires no battle” (Sun Tzu). The master tactician is speaking about the thing that a lot of armies still try to achieve. We call it peace through strength. It is the hope that the enemy will believe that our power is so overpowering that they will just lay down their weapons and surrender. In the modern era, it was what Russia hoped would be the result when they began their full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24. 2022. The hope was that Ukraine would be overwhelmed by the Russian military and simply surrender. But that didn’t happen.

Israel entered Canaan and defeated the fortress of Jericho. It was a surprise victory, maybe especially from those living in Canaan. Yes, Jericho had feared Israel, but they also took precautions against Israel because of that fear. Mybe the most appropriate description is that that Jericho had a healthy respect for Israel and took certain precautions; their defeat was not due to taking Israel lightly. So, it was expected that the rest of Canaan might simply run from them. However, then sin altered the equation as it so often does and the next battle against the town of Ai, which should have been a rout, turned into an embarrassing Israelite defeat. Joshua was concerned, and angry with God. Everything that had been won at Jericho had been compromised at Ai. Now, instead of surrendering in fear at the approach to the Israelite conquerors, the inhabitants of Canaan would know that the invading army was fallible and could be defeated. It was precisely the reverse of the image that Joshua wanted to project. And Joshua knew that he had to get to the reason of the defeat before the armies of Canaan surrounded Israel and expelled them from the west side of the Jordan River.  

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Joshua 8

Then the LORD said to Joshua, "See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands, along with its king and its fighting men." – Joshua 6:2

Today's Scripture Reading (March 28, 2025): Joshua 6

Lewis Burwell Puller (1898-1971), better known among his troops as "Chesty," was an optimistic officer. He started his military career fighting guerilla forces in Haiti and Nicaragua during the Banana Wars, a conflict that supported American private interests in Central America. Later, Chesty served with distinction in both World War II and Korea. When he retired, Lewis Puller had achieved the rank of lieutenant general. Lewis Puller is the most decorated Marine in American military history and was awarded five Navy Crosses and one Distinguished Service Cross. 

It was quite a career, but Chesty is probably better remembered for what he said. For example, in a letter the marine wrote to his wife while serving in Korea, he told her, "The mail service has been excellent out here, and in my opinion, this is all that Air Force has accomplished during the war." Ouch. 

At one point during a firefight, Chesty Puller remarked to his troops, "We're surrounded. That simplifies the problem." During a different battle, Puller made a similar remark. "All right, they're on our left, they're on our right, they're in front of us, they're behind us … they can't get away this time." And they didn't.

As Israel approaches Jericho, God reminds them that the battle has already been won. The city is locked down. The army protecting the town is inside the walls, ready to defend the citizens of Jericho. Jericho had a reputation for being one of the best-defended cities in all of Canaan. And this wasn't a sneak attack; Israel was not going to catch the city with their guard down. The people of Jericho had prepared for this moment and were ready to respond to anything the Israelites threw at them. Jericho knew that Israel was in the area, and they were alert to the threat that these formerly enslaved people presented to their city. They also knew that spies had already visited the city. And so, they had locked the city down, making one of the best-defended cities even more challenging to attack. In "Joshua and the Flow of Biblical History," Francis Schaeffer makes this comment. "Jericho was not a big city; it was only about seven acres in its entirety. It was really more of a fortress—a very strong fortress prepared to resist siege" (Francis A. Schaeffer).

God says, "I have delivered Jericho into your hands." We have them just where we want them. It is a situation that was designed for Chesty Puller. It was going to take a high degree of faith for Israel to win this battle. But God was with them.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Joshua 7

And after the whole nation had been circumcised, they remained where they were in camp until they were healed. – Joshua 5:8

Today's Scripture Reading (March 27, 2025): Joshua 5

If you are preparing for battle, there are certain things that you need to do. The "Boot Camp and Military Fitness Institute" lists five things to do if you are getting ready for combat duty. The first thing you need to do is undergo "Situational Awareness Training." The advice includes things that you can do in everyday life. You can play games that require you to memorize a series of items and pay attention to what is in your peripheral vision as you go about your ordinary day. I actually remember the moment that I discovered I had peripheral vision. I have no idea how old I was, I would have been very young, but I was looking at the couch in my living room and discovered that I could see the couch as well as the TV and other items placed around the sofa. I spent the rest of the day looking at things in my world and identifying all of the different things I could see out of the corners of my eyes. It was a fantastic moment for a preschool kid, and I was already getting ready for battle.

The article goes on to argue that we need to be fit, understand what we need to know to survive in the wilderness (maybe all those reality shows do have a purpose), and practice mindfulness, recognizing that battlefields are high-stress areas.

The website also recommends that you put your matters in order. The battlefield is the last place you want to be when you realize you never did get your "Last Will and Testament" completed. One of my favorite M*A*S*H episodes tells the story of Hawkeye being sent to the front to work at an aid station. There, with bombs exploding all around him, he begins to write his will. When he gets back, he immediately sets out to finish the task. It is late at night, and Corporal Klinger finds Hawkeye in the office. He welcomes Hawkeye home and then asks what he is doing. Hawkeye responds that he is finishing some paperwork. Klinger replies that the one thing he has learned as the company clerk is that there is no paperwork that can't be put off until tomorrow. Hawkeye mutters his reply: "Yeah, I used to believe that." Being at the front of the Korean War had changed something inside of the M*A*S*H surgeon. It was time to get some paperwork done before he had to confront that battlefield one more time.  

Something conspicuously missing from the "Boot Camp" list was "circumcise the army." Yet, that was what Joshua proceeded to do. It was an amazing feat that we often miss. I sometimes wonder why this wasn't done on the other side of the Jordan River. Here, they were getting ready for battle and camping close to their enemies. They had to suspect that spies were all around them searching for any weakness in the army, yet Joshua gave them a huge opening here. Every male of military age, for a few days, was incapacitated. I love Francis Schaeffer's (1912-1984) comment on this passage.

This circumcising was a strange thing for Joshua, a keen military commander, to do. He was incapacitating his whole fighting force, an absolutely unmilitary act. It is silly to march your men right into the teeth of the enemy and then disable your own people. Joshua did it, nevertheless, because God told him to." (Francis A. Schaeffer) 

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Joshua 6

Choose twelve men from among the people, one from each tribe. – Joshua 4:2

Today's Scripture Reading (March 26, 2025): Joshua 4

During the early days of World War II, Britain was taking a beating. Her cities were being bombed night after night, and there didn't seem to be a solution. What were they supposed to do? Was it time to raise the white flag and surrender? Who was going to lead them?  

At that moment, Winston Churchill stepped up with his famous address to the nation: "We shall defend our Island, whatever the cost may be. We shall fight on the beaches. We shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; We shall never surrender."

Underneath the words was one thought: remember who you are. Churchill believed that the United Kingdom stood for something. They wondered if their principles were worth it or if they should bow before Hitler. Winston Churchill's response was clear: this seeming defeat will not define us. We are defined by something else, and so we will fight. We shall never surrender.

It is a question that Canadians are dealing with in our contemporary world. As the United States threatens to redraw the nation's borders and wants to make the northern nation the 51st State, Canadians must face a question of identity. Who are we? Could we be Americans, or would something valuable be lost? After all, a lot of Canadians are displaced Americans. My ancestors moved north from the New York area, albeit before either Canada or the United States were independent nations. If you are wondering, Canadians are answering that question with a resounding response that while they are comfortable being friends with the United States, they have no desire to become part of their southern neighbor. 

It was a tricky question that Israel had to answer. Who are we? Are we desert nomads? We have lived that way for the last forty years. Is that the definition of who we are? Are we runaway slaves? We have spent generations living as Egyptian slaves. Is that who we are?

God commands Israel to choose twelve men from among you, a leader from each tribe, and send them back into the river to discover who they are. These men walked back on the dry ground that had not long ago formed the base of the Jordan River. They walked back, retracing the way they had traveled, looking back at the side of the Jordan that contained all of the lands that Israel had journeyed, extending back from the recent history of the nation to the land of Egypt. But as they walked to the center of the river, with walls of water still being held back by the priests who had first entered the river, the ones who had initially gotten their feet wet, it was becoming clear who they were. They existed as a people under God. It wasn't an imposition because God did absolutely incredible things. Israel was not a nation defined by the piece of land that they occupied but rather by the relationship they had with God.

It is a question we are still forced to answer. The world wants to define you in many ways. But who are you? Sometimes, we are defined by our children, our parents, or our spouse. Sometimes, we are defined by our position or by a unique ability. Often, we are defined by our sins, but all these answers are inadequate.

Who are we? We need to wrestle with that question. It is too easy to define ourselves in the way our society might define us. If it were possible, I wish we could imagine standing in the middle of the Jordan River, where we could pick up a rock with the priests standing beside us, holding back the raging waves. If we were standing in the Jordan, it would be hard to come to any conclusion other than that we are the children of God. We were created unique and worthy of the relationship. We are the ones Jesus died for. All of us valuable and loved? Any other answer we might come up with is inadequate. It was what Israel had to remember, and it is still the response we need to understand at the core of our beings.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Joshua 5

Early in the morning Joshua and all the Israelites set out from Shittim and went to the Jordan, where they camped before crossing over. – Joshua 3:1

Today's Scripture Reading (March 25, 2025): Joshua 3

The historian Flavius Josephus (c.37-100 C.E.) tells the story of a town "full of palm trees." The town is about nine kilometers (six miles) from the River Jordan. More importantly, this place, which is "full of palm trees," is suggested to be where Moses delivered his final addresses to the nation of Israel. Others disagree, opting for another place, Livias, about twelve kilometers from the Jordan. But wherever it was where Moses delivered his final sermons to the nation, on this morning, they set out from that place and marched over to the River Jordan.

The time had finally arrived. It was a moment that Israel had been dreaming of for over 400 years. They were finally returning to the place God had promised to Abraham five centuries earlier. However, it was also a place of faith. As Israel looked at the Jordan, which was swollen with spring rains, the crossing must have seemed impossible.

It must have seemed once more that maybe this dream was nothing more than that, a dream. Perhaps Israel would never inhabit the land. A generation earlier, Israel had said no to the Promised Land because of the giants that lived there, and the task of taking the land seemed too difficult. Now, the river itself seemed to be standing against them. God was not going to make this easy. Getting into the land would take a significant amount of faith. 

Maybe you could swim the river if you were a strong swimmer and courageous enough to attempt the feat. 1 Chronicles tells the story of the Gadites who had done just that. 

These Gadites were army commanders; the least was a match for a hundred, and the greatest for a thousand. It was they who crossed the Jordan in the first month when it was overflowing all its banks, and they put to flight everyone living in the valleys, to the east and to the west (1 Chronicles 12:14-15).

But the people standing on the banks of the Jordan on this day were not the legendary army commanders that would later arise from their midst. The people standing at the Jordan's edge likely didn't even know how to swim. Not only that, but standing on the shore of the Jordan River was not just an army, and they weren't all adults; here, there were children of all ages, and likely even babies who had been born in the last few days and weeks. And somehow, all these people had to cross the swollen river safely. 

It was a moment of faith that was just as critical a test for Israel as the one they had failed forty years earlier. Once again, they would be asked to place their trust in the hands of their God, understanding that he could lead them where they needed to go, even when things seemed impossible. 

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Joshua 4

When we heard of it, our hearts melted in fear and everyone’s courage failed because of you, for the LORD your God is God in heaven above and on the earth below. – Joshua 2:11

Today's Scripture Reading (March 24, 2025): Joshua 2

The story of the Exodus sometimes leads us to believe that Israel’s escape from Egypt was a singular event. But I am convinced that this is not true. The Exodus tells the story of the core segment of the Hebrew population being moved from Egypt to Canaan. But I believe there had always been a trickle of people out of Egypt: a family here, a single person there, who disappeared from Egypt and made their way to Canaan. They probably weren’t noticed immediately, and by the time they were missed, it wasn’t worth the effort for Egypt to chase after them. The unlucky ones were likely caught and killed, a fate shared by many escaping slaves in history. But those who succeeded in escaping Egypt found themselves looking for new places to live in cities like Jericho, building new homes among people they did not know. These people became the source for the stories that Rahab had heard, that the King of Jericho had heard, and the people had heard. The exploits of the God of Israel were told around fires late at night and around mealtimes between friends. 

As a result of these stories, an interest was built up around these obscure people. Travelers would stop by with new stories of this people of God. The people of Jericho probably knew that Israel was approaching. Armchair experts strategized where Israel might cross the Jordan and what cities might be in the way of this approaching nation. They knew that Israel was on their way to Canaan, and they had heard the rumor that God had given this group of formerly enslaved people the land on which they lived. And the closer they got, the more fearful they became. Their hearts melted, and they were paralyzed by fear, and their courage melted away.

Bad fear always has this tendency to paralyze. We stop doing the things we know we should do. We put off that visit to the doctor or refuse to share our resume with potential employers because it is not quite ready. We delay applying to the college we want to attend. Bad fear tends to paralyze us until it is too late. Fear of failure often results in a lack of action. It is something Rahab knew that she had to avoid. 

One of my favorite historical people is Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, better known to most of us as the Queen Mother because two Queen Elizabeths alive at once would be confusing. From the day of her coronation alongside her husband, she was known as Queen Elizabeth. After King George VI died in 1952 and Queen Elizabeth II took the throne, Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon became known as simply the Queen Mother. 

But George and Elizabeth shared the throne during the entire Second World War. At the beginning of the war, Elizabeth was misunderstood. She would often be criticized for showing up at bomb sites dressed in her best finery. But she argued that the people who came to see her always wore their best clothes, even if their best was not very good. And she refused not to pay them the same compliment. 

At the beginning of the war, the East end of London took the brunt of the German bombings, And Elizabeth was there to help out. It wasn’t long before Buckingham Palace became a target. Buckingham Palace was bombed by the Germans several times at the height of the Battle of Britain, and it was bombed while the Royal Family was in residence. Elizabeth’s famous quote after the first bombing of the Palace was, "I'm glad we've been bombed. It makes me feel I can look the East End in the face." There was pressure on Elizabeth to move temporarily to Canada with her two daughters, Elizabeth and Margaret, but Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon refused. She finally conceded to move her family away from Buckingham Palace. The Palace had several unusable rooms and windows that had to be boarded up, so the family took up residence in Windsor Castle, about 30 km away. During the day, George and Elizabeth continued to work at Buckingham Palace, but at night, they would go and stay with their children at Windsor Castle. Dignitaries are said to have complained because George and Elizabeth lived, by choice, under the same rations as the people.

I think too often we hear the words of Jesus as he says fear not, and somehow believe that he is saying that there is nothing to fear. But I am not sure that that is it. As the waves crashed around the boat on the Sea of Galilee, there was lots to fear. Denying fear exists is never wise. But knowing that bad fear is the enemy of courage, we can stand amid that melting fear when our courage has failed and declare that we serve a God who is more significant than even that fear. Rahab seemed to understand that principle and trusted in the God of these escaping slaves.

It is interesting to me that Rahab, this Gentile prostitute, actually quotes Deuteronomy in vs. 11. Rahab’s words are, “When we heard of it, our hearts melted in fear and everyone’s courage failed because of you, for the LORD your God is God in heaven above and on the earth below (Joshua 2:11). Compare Rahab’s words of with those of Moses in Deuteronomy 4.

Acknowledge and take to heart this day that the LORD is God in heaven above and on the earth below. There is no other. Keep his decrees and commands, which I am giving you today, so that it may go well with you and your children after you and that you may live long in the land the LORD your God gives you for all time (Deuteronomy 4:39-40).

Rahab had decided to do precisely that. To “acknowledge and take to heart this day that the LORD is God in heaven above and on the earth below. There is no other.” Even though she probably was facing the most significant fear she had ever known in her life, Rahab trusted in this God, who, until now, she had known only in the stories of escaped enslaved people coming out of Egypt.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Joshua 3

Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. – Joshua 1:7

Today's Scripture Reading (March 23, 2025): Joshua 1

I am a bit of a Queen fan. How do you not at least respect a guy with a four-octave vocal range? I sometimes struggle with an octave and a half. But Freddie Mercury, Queen's lead singer, was incredible. Unfortunately, Mercury died of an AIDS-related illness on November 24, 1991. However, what has always amazed me about Freddie Mercury was that he was an introvert. The flamboyant image that he portrayed on the stage was nothing more than a stage persona. Freddie Mercury offstage was very different from the rock star his fans watched perform in concert.

You will find me if you google my name, but you will have to search a little. The top Google search response for my name is a Freddie Mercury impersonator. Gary Mullen is the lead singer for a Queen tribute band called "The Works." But the reality is that my long-lost cousin, who possesses the same name, except that I think he spells Garry with only one R, had to learn to be Freddie Mercury. But that shouldn't surprise us; Freddie Mercury had to learn how to be Freddie. 

I grew up loving a singer whose name is Vincent Furnier. Admittedly, probably only hardcore fans know him by that name, but it is the name with whom this singer self-identifies. Vincent grew up the son of a pastor, which in some ways is weird because Christians often refuse to listen to Vincent Furnier's music. You know Vincent, but by a different name: most of us know him as Alice Cooper. But Alice Cooper is not who he is, not really. Alice is a character that Vincent Furnier plays on stage. In fact, Alice Cooper was originally the band that Vincent Furnier sang for. Today, Vincent Furnier pays his old band members a fee to use the name. But it is not who he is. A few years ago, Furnier said that he had hoped to play the part of Alice Cooper for six years past the retirement of Mick Jagger, who is six years older than he is; Furnier refuses to be beaten out in longevity by someone like Jagger. But when the day comes, when Vincent Furnier puts down the makeup never to become Alice Cooper again, he hopes someone else will pick up the character.

I have often admitted that I am an introvert and extremely shy. Those who know me best agree. Some question how an introvert does some of the things I do, but that has never been a problem for me. My problem has always been what I am supposed to do when I walk off of the platform. Meetings have always been a problem for me. Unscripted gatherings are also a problem. I am more comfortable sitting behind a computer and writing down my thoughts. However, I have learned to play the part of a pastor because I believe that God has called me to this task. It is the same journey that Freddie Mercury and the other Gary Mullen have to make on their way to becoming the stage persona of Freddie Mercury, and it is the same process that Vincent Furnier has to go through in putting on the character of Alice Cooper. It is a process because, deep down, we aren't that.

Repeatedly, God tells Joshua to be strong and courageous. Why? Because in this moment, strong and courageous are the last things that he is. At this moment, he realizes that he will have to put on a costume and face the fear that could very well keep him in the background. Deep down, everything inside Joshua is screaming at him, saying it was supposed to be Moses doing this, not him.

The idea that everything in life is supposed to be easy and done naturally is wrong. Life is hard because we aren't something, but we know we have to be. The reason for this is relatively simple. We are in process; stretching to be more and more like who God desires us to be.

There are always some things that we have to just step up and do. It is not because of a lack of faith that we are sometimes scared. It is a lack of faith when we can't move past that fear and be strong and courageous because God asks us to and promises to be with us. I am convinced that at this moment, Joshua was both a man of faith and scared out of his boots. But the man of faith would not allow fear to stop him. And so, he put on courage, just like Vincent Furnier puts on Alice Cooper, or Gary Mullen (with one r) puts on Freddie Mercury. Joshua would focus on the things of God and not on what the world would throw at him to stop him. He would become God's person, regardless of who he felt he was. As he met the future, he would be strong and courageous, even when that was the last thing Joshua felt he was. 

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Joshua 2

Now Joshua son of Nun was filled with the spirit of wisdom because Moses had laid his hands on him. So the Israelites listened to him and did what the LORD had commanded Moses. – Deuteronomy 34:9

Today's Scripture Reading (March 22, 2025): Deuteronomy 34

If there is one thing Moses did right, it was this: He trained a successor who would take over after him. It is the one thing that Joshua didn't do. Joshua failed to prepare the nation for a time after Joshua had stepped down from his position of leadership, and because of that, Israel struggled.

Many years ago, I saw a cartoon picturing an older woman in a church going to the pastor's office to tell him how to do his job. The pastor did nothing the way Pastor Smith had completed the task. And so, she wanted to set the new pastor straight. Finally, the pastor had had enough, and he walked over to the corner of his office and grabbed a shovel. The final frame contained these words: "I agree that Pastor Smith was a great pastor. Here is a shovel; why don't you go and dig him up."

The truth is that God's focus extends beyond us. As a result, our focus also needs to extend beyond our current circumstances. We must plan for what comes next, even though we know we may not be part of that future. 

My first ministry position was as a bi-vocational (which meant I had a "real job" along with the job of being a pastor). And I remember my farewell from that position. After the obligatory singing of Michael W. Smith's Friends, the Christian Goodbye song, someone got up to say some words of encouragement, except that they weren't all that encouraging. A parent of one of the teens rose and declared, "Now we get to see if what you built here is of God or just the result of the strength of personality." While the words were scary, I understood the intent. God's plan stretched beyond me to something totally new. But it is not a question that we ask very often. We seem to believe that our purpose here ends when we leave. However, that is not a God way of speaking. 

Here is the truth. Moses's true power was not revealed in the first forty years of his life. Then, Moses held the power that we often dream of, but that wasn't the power Moses required for the task God was about to place before the prophet. The power of Moses was also not the miracles he performed in the last third of his life and his true power had nothing to do with the shepherding of sheep in the middle third, although all of that shaped Moses into the man he was. Moses's true power was in the legacy that he left for Israel to follow.

His legacy would have been different if Moses had died at forty or eighty. The Moses that we remember, the legacy of Moses that has led Israel for millennia, was forged in those last years of his life. The legacy of Moses was forged in those moments when Moses, the ruler, and Moses, the shepherd, let go of all that was inside of him and allowed God the privilege to be the power within him. Not that Moses didn't make mistakes. The very reason that Moses was not going to enter the Promised Land was because of one of Moses's moments where he made a mistake and refused to let God rule. But in the end, what we remember about Moses was that he allowed the power of God to shine through him.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Joshua 1

He was king over Jeshurun when the leaders of the people assembled, along with the tribes of Israel. – Deuteronomy 33:5

Today's Scripture Reading (March 21, 2025): Deuteronomy 33

The history of the kings of many nations is often an interesting read. I recently took a journey back through the Kings of England, which is admittedly a favorite subject of mine. I followed the Kings of England as they extended back through time and morphed out of the Kings of Wessex, who ruled over the Southernmost portion of England. I continued through these Kings until I came to Cerdic of Wessex, the first to claim the title of King of Wessex. His father is listed as a man named Elesa, who some have identified as Elasius, the "Chief of the Region," although he never claimed the title of King. But, as seems to be confirmed with so many of these early kings, if we go back further up the family tree, it isn't long before we come to the gods. For Cerdic, the god he claims further up his family tree is Woden, another name for the Norse god Odin. So, Odin is the originator of the Cerdic family line and the ultimate king over Wessex.

We are entering into the blessings that Moses speaks over the tribes of Israel. As is true in several other passages, it begins with an introduction that was likely written by someone else, although it appears to be from Moses in the text. The problem with Moses writing this first portion is that he is named in the third person, which is unusual, and the passage appears to be something that is said about Moses rather than by Moses. 

A second reason to argue that this was written by someone else is the assertion made in this verse: "He was king over Jeshurun." First, we must deal with the word Jeshurun. Jeshurun simply indicates "the righteous." However, the next question is the identity of the person this passage indicates was king over the righteous. There are two possibilities, one of which is God, and the other is the aforementioned Moses.

As I read the passage, it seems that it is Moses who the author is calling king. The passage flows better if we assume that Moses is who the author is calling king. But it flows even better If we compare verse 5 with verse 26. While verse 5 states, "He (maybe Moses) was king over Jeshurun" with an emphasis on the "was," verse 26 makes the following statement; "There is no one like the God of Jeshurun" with a focus on the "is." Moses was king, but God continues to reign over Jeshurun."

But if Moses is indicated to be the first king of Israel, a title he never claimed, it is significant that none of the Kings of Israel claimed to be descendants of Moses. This appears to be an honorary title given to Moses after his death, while God continued to be the King over all of Israel. 

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Deuteronomy 34

Let my teaching fall like rain and my words descend like dew, like showers on new grass, like abundant rain on tender plants. – Deuteronomy 32:2

Today's Scripture Reading (March 20, 2025): Deuteronomy 32

Spring is coming. I often remark that I live in a part of the world that has four seasons: almost winter, winter, still winter, and construction. Of the four seasons, I like the season of construction the best. As an urban dweller, I also freely admit that what I like and hope for in that season is an abundance of warm and sunny days. I want days that will allow me to ride my e-bike to work or even go sightseeing around the city. I want to spend time on my deck reading a book and other activities I can't do in the other dominant seasons. (I know construction companies desire the same thing so that they can get their various projects finished, which always seems to get finished faster in the sunshine than they do in the rain.) But there is another truth that I also know, even from my perch in the city. Here it is; all sunshine and no rain results in a desert. As much as the rain might curtail my summer activities, we need the rain, especially the gentle showers and morning dew of the summer months. Showers are essential to the health of everything on which my life depends.

Moses uses the same illustration to describe what he hopes his teachings, coming straight from the hand of God, will do for the people. In the years to come, as the nation begins life in a new land, he wants these teachings to descend on the people, like the dew that is present every morning and the showers that come throughout the growing season. Charles Spurgeon (1834-1892) makes this observation;

It is good preaching, and good hearing too, when the gospel comes like a gentle shower which saturates and soaks into the soil, and refreshes and makes it fruitful; may God the Holy Spirit make it to be so whenever we gather together for worship (Charles Spurgeon)!

Every teacher hopes that what we teach not only comes from God but that it also falls on those who hear us and on our own hearts like a gentle shower, nurturing the growth that we need for life and carrying us into a healthy future filled with growth. It is a thought that is repeated by the Prophet Isaiah. 

As the rain and the snow

    come down from heaven,

and do not return to it

    without watering the earth

and making it bud and flourish,

    so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,

so is my word that goes out from my mouth:

    It will not return to me empty,

but will accomplish what I desire

    and achieve the purpose for which I sent it (Isaiah 55:10-11).

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Deuteronomy 33

The LORD your God himself will cross over ahead of you. He will destroy these nations before you, and you will take possession of their land. Joshua also will cross over ahead of you, as the LORD said. – Deuteronomy 31:3

Today's Scripture Reading (March 19, 2025): Deuteronomy 31

Most of us know that George Washington was the United States' first President. A fact that surprised me was that while the Colonies declared their independence on July 2, 1776 (Yes, that date is correct; the colonies declared their independence on July 2, but the Declaration of Independence was ratified two days later on July 4, 1776), and while the revolutionary war was fought from 1775-1783, George Washington, the first President of the nation did not begin his first term until 1789. The first President of the United States didn't start to serve his first term until thirteen years after the birth of the nation and six years after the end of the Revolutionary War. Washington is often near the top of the list of Best Presidents. I know President Trump believes that his name should be near the top of this list, but instead, most political scholars rank him closer to the bottom; a CBS poll from 2022 ranks him 43rd out of 47, which is three spots below William Henry Harrison who was President for only 32 days (Harrison died in office).

Recently, the idea that Washington owned slaves has caused some to sour on Washington's time as President. However, he deserves some credit not just because he was first but because he led the nation without the budget or power given to a modern-day President. The country was still trying to figure out what it was that they wanted the President to do. 

For me, one of the more significant questions concerns who led the nation in the thirteen years before Washington took over as President. The answer is that the country was led by the Congress of the Federation, a group made up of delegates from the thirteen colonies. This group of leaders chose the President of the Continental Congress from among its members. Cyrus Griffin from Virginia was the last President of the Continental Congress; Griffin yielded power to Washington as the First President of the United States.

Moses led Israel out of Egypt. One of the questions we might ask is, who did he replace? Was there someone who led the people before Moses? Some believe there may have been a group of Tribal leaders, like the Continental Congress, who led the nation during their time in Egypt. However, most of the people Moses spoke to had known only Moses as their leader. Now, Israel was beginning the first change in leadership they had known during their lifetime. The nation's new leader was going to be Joshua, a man whom Moses had trained for this very task. However, Moses needed to assure the people that Israel had always been designed as a theocracy. God was the true leader during the time of Moses, and he would continue to lead the nation when Joshua took the helm. 

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Deuteronomy 32

This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live. – Deuteronomy 30:19

Today's Scripture Reading (March 18, 2025): Deuteronomy 30

Sixth Century B.C.E. philosopher Heraclitus wrote, "The content of your character is your choice. Day by day, what you choose, what you think and what you do is who you become." Little is known about this Pre-Socratic Philosopher. All that has survived to this day are fragments of a single work. Yet, we believe that he was critical of human society and deeply distrusted people. Going back to the content of the above quote, it seems that he thought that the significant people of power of his day had made negative choices that had formed their character. 

As I look at the current political situation, I see that there seems to be heightened importance placed on what is expedient. It is not that expediency hasn't always been part of the political landscape. However, in the past, some would always stand up and say, "This isn't right." Someone always seemed to make the hard decisions and what we might even label the moral choices. Those people don't seem to be present anymore. The party line and the expedient choice seem to reign. When we evaluate our politicians' character, part of that character's foundation is how often they make the hard decisions and have chosen what is right over what is expedient.

In Near East writings, we often find the witnesses are the gods who ruled over the nations involved. But Moses does not call on God and his angels, or even demons, to witness the covenant he is putting forth. Instead, he calls on creation to witness the promise. He tells Israel that they can choose life and live or what is expedient and struggle. But Moses stresses that the choice is theirs to make.  

I love Adam Clarke's (1762-1832) comment on this passage. "Man is accountable for his actions, because they are his; were he necessitated by fate, or sovereign constraint, they could not be his" (Adam Clarke, italics his). The idea is that we are culpable for our actions because we really do make the choice. If fate were even partially responsible, which seems to be in vogue in our current climate, then we could not be held accountable for what we do and, by extension, our character development. But that is not true. We are free to choose what we will do, whether we make the hard choices or expedient ones. 

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Deuteronomy 31

Moses summoned all the Israelites and said to them: Your eyes have seen all that the LORD did in Egypt to Pharaoh, to all his officials and to all his land. – Deuteronomy 29:2

Today's Scripture Reading (March 17, 2025): Deuteronomy 29

A. W. Tozer commented, "God never uses anyone greatly until He tests them deeply." If you are being tested, then God might have a significant plan for your life. Trials are often a sign that God wants to use us. Of course, we have to accept the invitation. Maybe the most remarkable biblical example of this principle is seen in the life of Job. Job has greatly encouraged many of us who have gone through significant trials. He was tested deeply but is also an example of what we can do even amid trials.

There are passages in the Bible that I struggle with, and this statement in Deuteronomy is one of them. However, admittedly, it is only a problem if you believe that every statement in the Bible has to be literally true and the entire truth. Moses appears to argue that Israel should follow the directive of God because they have been witnesses to all that God has done. And he points back to all that God did when the Israelites were still captives in Egypt. The problem is that it isn't entirely true, and I am sure it will anger some readers. Some did remember all of these things. Moses, Joshua, and Caleb saw and remembered everything God had done. Beyond them, the older members of the society, probably those older than about forty-five, would have remembered the things that God had done in Egypt, the plagues that he brought on the land, the miracle at the Red Sea, and the meeting that took place between Moses and God on the Mount Sinai. Those who were at least forty-five at the time would have been young children during these early events of the Exodus. As Moses spoke to Israel, his audience would have mostly been young; few members of this audience would have been much over fifty. This group did not remember Egypt very well, and most would have no memory of Egypt at all, only recalling the wilderness through which the nation had been traveling.

However, that doesn't mean that they had no memory of the miracles of God. All of their lives had been filled with miracles and the movement of God among the people. They had seen the manna every morning and knew the providence of God every night. They had also heard the stories the elders told of the miracles that had taken place in Egypt in the time before their young lives had begun. 

The journey was almost over, but a time of significant testing was on the horizon. The people had depended on God in the past and needed to rely on him in the coming days. They would need all the faith that they could muster from what the people had experienced, as well as the stories that had been told if they hoped to survive the coming days.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Deuteronomy 30

You will be blessed when you come in and blessed when you go out. – Deuteronomy 28:6

Today's Scripture Reading (March 16, 2025): Deuteronomy 28

The Covid-19 pandemic gave fruitful ground for many conspiracy theories. In defense of these theories, a lot of the early beliefs about the pandemic were confusing. Some have argued that the officials during that time lied to us, but that seems unlikely. The reality was that they were acting on incomplete knowledge. Their advice changed over time because they began to understand the virus better, just as they should have. There is no doubt that many mistakes were made, and the only way forward is not to blame each other for those wrong turns but to forgive those on the other side.

There were a few things that helped fuel the conspiracy theories. One is simply the infrequency of pandemics. Pandemics come around about every hundred years. Regardless of what some people might think, we knew this one was coming. This foreknowledge highlighted another problem that helped the conspiracy theorists; we had had a few missteps in recent years. Viruses we thought were the expected pandemic proved not to be. However, those false steps proved to be fatal mistakes for some who came to believe that Covid-19 was just another false step. 

However, Covid-19 proved to be the real thing. And all of these conditions caused rumors and false beliefs to multiply. Some still believe in these false teachings. I am thankful for even the conflicting advice released during the pandemic. I think I am alive because of the abundance of caution health officials gave about the pandemic. 

One of the more damaging conspiracy theories concerned the mRNA vaccine. The vaccine still produces intense feelings of disdain from many people. Many wonder how we developed the vaccine in such a short time. The truth is that we had the general structure of the vaccine long before the pandemic struck. It was new technology simply waiting for a virus against which we could test it. The vaccine performed just as the experts hoped it would, likely a result of more than just a little luck.

The mRNA vaccine was new. And some misunderstood what it did. Some came to believe that the mRNA vaccine changed our DNA. These people argued that because of the change in DNA, people who received the vaccine were no longer human. And because we are no longer human, the blood of Christ no longer saves us. Some still maintain that if you have taken an mRNA vaccine, then you are a sinner, and the sacrifice of Jesus no longer covers your life. 

For those who believe this, I have some good news if you will receive it from me. First, the mRNA vaccine did nothing to your DNA. However, even if it did, Jesus still died for you. I love the closing words of the story of Jonah. It is the voice of God that closes out the story. Listen to what he says. 

But the LORD said, "You have been concerned about this plant, though you did not tend it or make it grow. It sprang up overnight and died overnight. And should I not have concern for the great city of Nineveh, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left—and also many animals" (Jonah 4:10-11)?

Not only does God care about the people living in Nineveh, but his concern extends to the animals living in the city or those with less than human DNA. But maybe even more critical is this promise in Deuteronomy. "You will be blessed when you come in and blessed when you go out" (Deuteronomy 28:6). Don't take this promise lightly because the phrase "when you come in and blessed when you go out" covers every action that we could take as humans. We need to take the Apostle Paul's words to heart because not even a vaccine can separate us from God's plan of redemption for us.

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:37-39).

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Deuteronomy 29

Moses and the elders of Israel commanded the people: "Keep all these commands that I give you today. – Deuteronomy 27:1

Today's Scripture Reading (March 15, 2025): Deuteronomy 27

I recently had an interaction with someone I hadn't had contact with in almost two decades. As my friend phrased it, we had lost track of where the other had ended up. Then, suddenly, circumstances threw us together again. Part of our interaction was just catching up on what the other was doing. Both of us had left the charity with which we had been associated when we first met. My friend had left his position due to a conflict with the board of the charity he had worked for and decided to take a position in the private sector; I had left to start another charity. And so, we connected from our new positions.

One question that caught me off guard, but maybe shouldn't have, was whether I still worked with a board. As a charity, that relationship is mandated, but maybe his bad experience with a board member provided the foundation for the question; he couldn't imagine working with a board again. Mostly, I have enjoyed generally good interactions with the boards with whom I have journeyed. However, a relationship with a board requires a lot of hard work. It can be rewarding, but it is also very demanding.

My friend had experienced the demanding, but not the rewarding, experience that results from working with a board. So, he had left the world of boards for the world of CEOs and CFOs who could be negotiated and compromised with, but it was a world that minimized the whims and changes that often come with elected boards and their chairpeople.

Sometimes, I wonder how the early society of Israel functioned. There is little doubt that its leader was Moses, sometimes assisted by his brother Aaron. But early on, it appears that the board may have reared its head. It was one of those times when the leader and the board were not on the same page. The project was the entrance into the Promised Land. Men spied out the land and then returned, and the project was put to a vote of the board—the motion to enter Canaan was what Moses, essentially the board chair, was recommending. However, the motion was defeated by this elder's board by a vote of 10-2. As a result of this vote, Israel spent almost the next forty years wandering in the wilderness. It is a cautionary tale that reminds us that boards don't always get it right.

With this verse, Moses begins his third and final sermon delivered to the people of Israel before they enter the Promised Land. And this is the only place in his Deuteronomic sermons where Moses emphasizes that he and the elders or the board are in agreement. There wouldn't be a replay of what happened decades earlier when Israel attempted to enter Canaan. Then Moses and the leaders had not agreed, but there would be no dissenting votes on this day. 

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Deuteronomy 28

When you have entered the land the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance and have taken possession of it and settled in it … - Deuteronomy 26:1

Today's Scripture Reading (March 14, 2025): Deuteronomy 26

I have been giving a lot of thought to how we phrase things. I have a friend who is struggling with life. He has convinced himself that he can't achieve what he wants in life. And I get it. I remember when I felt the same way. And I remember the moment when I decided that I was going to do something. At the time, I made a few decisions for my own life. 

The first thing I decided was regardless of whether I thought I was going to succeed, I was going to persist. Honestly, this blog grew out of a decision that I would persist in doing something. If I was going to fail, it couldn't be because I didn't try. It is something that I have to remind myself of every day. Don't give up or hide in a video game or under the covers. Do it! Work at it! Decide that even if you fail, you will not stop trying.

Another thing I decided was that I needed to name the challenges I was facing. We can only overcome the obstacles we are willing to name and confront. If we ignore the challenges, the reality is that they will always be with us. But if we confront the challenges, we at least have a chance to devise a solution to get us past the challenge permanently. For me, part of the challenge was my education. I desperately wanted to get my Master's Degree in Theology. I remember a conversation with an American University I wanted to attend to get my Master's Degree. The rep from the University (Northwest Nazarene University – NNU) in Idaho was blunt: I would never be able to get my Master's Degree. I wasn't smart enough. It was a challenge, and I named it until I earned my Master's degree a few years later. I found the solution only because I recognized the challenge, and yes, a big part of me would love to find that adviser at NNU and wave my degree in front of him. This blog post is likely the closest I will ever get to doing that. 

We also need to break the task up into manageable steps. We never make any journey worth chasing in a single leap; I am not Superman, leaping buildings in a single jump. But I can make steps toward the goal regularly. I may not reach my goal quickly, but I will get there.

I really believe that last point, I will get there, and so will you. Believe it, picture it, and know you can do it, even when people on the outside doubt it. People doubting me has been a major driver in my life. I admit it. 

I love what Moses tells Israel here. Deuteronomy is made up of the last addresses of Moses to the People of Israel. Entrance into the Promised Land is now just around the corner. Moses knows he will not be making the journey, although part of me thinks that Moses will watch from his perch on a mountain as he sees the people enter the Promised Land. There are still many challenges in front of this nation of the formerly enslaved. Giants are in the land, and even the river they must cross is at flood stage. Israel doesn't know all of the challenges that lay ahead. Yet, Moses makes this statement. "When you have entered the land the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance." There is no question here. You will enter the land. There have been a lot of small steps and even some missteps. Yet, there is certainty in Moses's mind: this will happen. And when you cross into the land God is giving you, this is what I want you to remember. 

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Deuteronomy 27

When people have a dispute, they are to take it to court and the judges will decide the case, acquitting the innocent and condemning the guilty. – Deuteronomy 25:1

Today's Scripture Reading (March 13, 2025): Deuteronomy 25

I grew up in an age of comic books. I read a lot of them. Yes, there was the Archie Comics that I occasionally enjoyed, but I read a lot of Marvel and DC comics. I loved Spiderman, but also Nova and the Fantastic Four. I read Batman and Superman Comics. And often not just once but over and over again. One thing I liked about Comics is that good was good, and on the other side of the coin, bad was bad. Even when J. Jonah Jamieson was screaming about that "no good Spiderman" being in "cahoots with the villains" that threatened the city, you knew beyond a doubt that he was wrong. Spiderman was good; he fought against evil. And there was no doubt about who was good and who represented societal evil. 

As I grew older, I think this same need for things to be good and bad drove me to the writings of Stephen King and Dean Koontz. They seemed to have a solid grasp of what was good and evil. It is what appears to be missing in today's environment. We no longer have an idea of good and evil. Instead, we seem to have people trying to sell us something they want us to believe is good or bad. We are sold on the idea that "Libs" are evil and must be opposed, jailed, and maybe even executed. The same goes for the "radical right." But this isn't the truth. The "Libs" on the left and the "conservatives" on the right just come from a different worldview. Both may be led into illegal behavior, but neither is intrinsically moral or evil. 

Several years ago, I wrote about the following observation;

It appears that the United States of America has restored the Monarchy that it ran from a little more than two hundred years ago. In a land that had maintained for decades that Lady Justice was blind, we are now waking up to a new truth. The Lady has undergone radical eye surgery and regained her sight … the King is above all of this petty justice argument … because the verdict doesn't matter in the end. Lady Justice has regained her eyesight, and the King has decided that all he has to do is to pardon himself if it happens that he is found guilty. Of course, the King is pretty sure that won't happen now that Lady Justice has regained her eyesight. After all, he is white, male, and rich. If Lady Justice sees him, she will not dare to stand against him (Garry Mullen, June 23, 2018).

I have to admit that, as I wrote those words, I hoped I was wrong. But I probably feel it more today than I did almost seven years ago. The darkness is closing in. This passage tells us what Judges are supposed to be. They are to acquit the innocent and condemn the evil. They need to be blind, but I am afraid they aren't. Lady Justice still has her sight, and judges often condemn those they don't like rather than those who commit crimes. And that needs to change, or the end of our society is close at hand.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Deuteronomy 26

Do not take a pair of millstones—not even the upper one—as security for a debt, because that would be taking a person’s livelihood as security. – Deuteronomy 24:6

Today's Scripture Reading (March 12, 2025): Deuteronomy 24

It can be found in the opening scene of the animated Christmas movie, “The Star.” The viewer is introduced to two of the main characters: Dave, a dove with an attitude voiced by comedian Keegan Michael-Key, and his best friend, Boaz, a donkey with a dream voiced by actor Steven Yeun. As the story opens, only Dave is free; Boaz is a captive and tied to a millstone in a barn. The idea of a millstone is that it grinds the wheat, allowing the flour to be separated from the husk, and then the flour can be collected at the edges of the stone. Millstones come in pairs. The bottom millstone is fixed and stationary. The upper millstone is made to rotate on top of the bottom, stationary stone. 

In the movie, Boaz’s captivity includes being tied to a millstone and forced to walk in a circle as the upper millstone grinds the wheat on the lower stone, making flour for Boaz’s owner. But Bo dreams of a day when he and Dave can quite literally escape the grind and join the Royal Caravan. Spoiler alert: Bo and Dave do escape the grind but become part of a very different Royal journey with a rather unamused Joseph, who thinks Boaz is relatively useless, and a caring and very pregnant Mary. Boaz still dreams of the Royal Caravan, but as he realizes who the baby is, Bo becomes aware that he has carried the Son of God on his back. Bo also realizes there is no place the clumsy donkey would rather be than with Mary and her baby. 

Millstones are not something we are acquainted with in our contemporary society but have been common throughout history. Sometimes, donkeys like Boaz, oxen, or some other beasts of burden were used to rotate the upper stone in the process. At other times, the task was given to servants or enslaved people. In each circumstance, the task was necessary to provide the flour needed to create the food the people needed to eat. 

Moses instructs Israel that if someone comes to you for a loan, you can take something as a pledge or collateral that ensures the person intends to repay the loan. But the Bible says that the things that could be taken as collateral must be unessential possessions, things not needed for day-to-day life. The list of things essential to life that could not be taken as collateral included the millstones, or even just the upper millstone which would likely be easier to remove than the bottom or fixed millstone. The problem was that even if just the upper millstone were missing, the person would not be able to make the flour needed to provide food for the family. God’s intention is that we should never take advantage of people going through rough times. When you loan someone money, the biblical instruction is to never take advantage of them. You should also not make them feel guilty because they owe you money. If God has given you the ability to help, then help and give God the praise for allowing you to be of service. Because, in the end, it all belongs to him anyway.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Deuteronomy 25

Let them live among you wherever they like and in whatever town they choose. Do not oppress them. – Deuteronomy 23:16

Today's Scripture Reading (March 11, 2025): Deuteronomy 23

North American slavery was essentially enslaving a race. Slaves were black, and often, they were enslaved by their own people. Wealthy or powerful black warlords would go on slaving raids in Western Africa, capturing and bringing these slaves to the coast, where they would be sold to the white slavers who had brought their ships to the African coast. As a result, slavery in some places in Western Africa almost caused the eradication of people. It was too dangerous if you were not among the ruling tribes to exist in that area of the continent, and sometimes, it was risky even if you were part of the ruling tribe. As a result, vulnerable tribes and people were driven east against their will.

Part of what we often forget is that because slavery involved a race of people, to be free and black was also very dangerous. Stories abound of formerly enslaved people who were attacked in "The New World" and sold back into slavery. It was one reason why formerly enslaved people often chose to remain with the family that had once enslaved them. It was safer to stay among the people you once served than to strike out alone.

Slavery, as described in the Bible, was often slightly different from that experienced in North America. However, understanding that the practice of slavery was different, the slavery that Israel suffered through in Egypt was probably closer to the experience of slavery in the Caribbean and the Southern United States than anywhere else in the world of that day. In Egypt, it was racial (Jews were the ones who were enslaved), it was slavery for life, and children seemed to be born into slavery.

There is another implication when we look at this passage from a distance. Theologians often remind us that the expectation here would seem to only apply to foreign enslaved people. That makes sense. But as Moses speaks, there weren't any enslaved people in Israel. Israel was a nation of escaped slaves who did not want to go back to that existence, not a nation that enslaved others. Every enslaved person Israel would encounter at this time would have belonged to someone else, maybe even a non-Jewish slave from Egypt. Moses insists that they were to treat these enslaved people as they wished others had treated them when they were enslaved, allowing them to live in their cities, not returning them to their masters or oppressing them. 

This passage also appears to foreshadow a time when slavery would not be an acceptable practice, a time when every human being was born and lived free. 

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Deuteronomy 24

Personal Note: Happy Birthday to my Dad.

You may take the young, but be sure to let the mother go, so that it may go well with you and you may have a long life. – Deuteronomy 22:7

Today's Scripture Reading (March 10, 2025): Deuteronomy 22

In 1765, Great Britain's government enacted the first of the Quartering Acts. These Acts required the citizens of the thirteen colonies to help feed and lodge British soldiers in public buildings if there was no more room left at the local barracks. After the events of the Boston Tea Party (December 16, 1773), where British Tea was thrown into the Boston Harbor to protest the British Parliament's tea tax and demanded "No taxation without representation," the Quartering Act was expanded to include housing soldiers in private homes. It is important to note that no British troops were ever quartered in inhabited homes. But the ability was there. As a result, James Madison introduced the third amendment to the American Constitution. 

No Soldier shall, in time of peace be quartered in any house, without the consent of the Owner, nor in time of war, but in a manner to be prescribed by law.

It is an amendment that we don't hear about very often. It definitely doesn't have the status of the first (religious freedom and free speech) or second (Right to possess and bear arms) amendments to the Constitution. Some have gone even further and called the third amendment the most useless of all the 27 ratified amendments to the American Constitution. It has never been used as a prime determinant in any court trial. It is not that the sentiment stated in the amendment is not appropriate. Who knows, with the current unrest that exists between the United States and its two neighbors, Mexico and Canada, more troops may be needed to protect the borders of the United States even in peacetime. However, quartering an army in private homes against the owners' wishes still seems unrealistic. The third amendment really appears to be useless.   

Of the 613 Jewish laws, rabbis have considered this command to be the least essential law God gave to his people. Essentially, it demands kindness of the followers of God toward a bird. Some have extrapolated the law given here to apply to all animal life. Maybe this law doesn't measure up to "Love the Lord your God with everything that you are and your neighbor as yourself," but kindness is never wasted, even if it is directed toward a bird in trouble. Yet, the rabbis note that even this, which is the least of the commandments, is accompanied by a blessing; "so that it may go well with you and you may have a long life."

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Deuteronomy 23

He must acknowledge the son of his unloved wife as the firstborn by giving him a double share of all he has. That son is the first sign of his father's strength. The right of the firstborn belongs to him. – Deuteronomy 21:17

Today's Scripture Reading (March 9, 2025): Deuteronomy 21

If the Bible says it once, then we must follow that instruction. It is the answer that I often receive from people who disagree with some of my theology. The idea seems to be that we, as Christians, follow the entire Law of God. My problem is that I am not convinced that that is true. Not only are we very selective in the laws that we follow, but there are laws that prominent people in the Bible ignore, seemingly without penalty from God. Maybe that is why Jesus stresses the Law of love in his teaching. I don't understand the reason for some of these laws, but there is definitely movement within the Bible and its collection of laws. 

One of my favorite examples of this concept of movement is the plight of eunuchs in the Bible. Deuteronomy gives us firm instructions about the treatment of eunuchs. "No one who has been emasculated by crushing or cutting may enter the assembly of the LORD" (Deuteronomy 23:1). The Law is straightforward. If you are a eunuch, you are to be excluded from the community of God, or at the very least, you may not enter the Temple, the center of religious life in Judaism. However, centuries later, Isaiah would temper these instructions. 

            For this is what the LORD says:

                "To the eunuchs who keep my Sabbaths,

                    who choose what pleases me

                    and hold fast to my covenant—

                to them I will give within my Temple and its walls

                    a memorial and a name

                    better than sons and daughters;

                I will give them an everlasting name

                    that will endure forever (Isaiah 56:4-5).

Okay, eunuchs still can't enter the assembly of God, but there is a memorial for them that is better than children. According to Isaiah, these eunuchs are worthy of honor. It appears to be a significant change from Deuteronomy 23. 

But the Bible isn't finished. The Christian Testament adds to the story of another eunuch. In Acts 8, Philip interacts with an Ethiopian eunuch. And the eunuch has a question. "As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, 'Look, here is water. What can stand in the way of my being baptized'" (Acts 8:36). My answer would go back to Deuteronomy 23, but Philip baptizes the eunuch with the approval of God. What is stated clearly in Deuteronomy 23 seems to be forgotten in Acts 8.

Moses gives these instructions when it comes to providing inheritances to children. The instruction is that the oldest child would receive a "double portion." This meant that if you had four kids, you divided your inheritance into five portions, two of which would be given to the oldest and one to each of the other children. The reason was that the oldest would also receive the farm as well as the liabilities and servants that went with it. The oldest received the extra inheritance but also the added responsibilities. But we no longer follow this advice because our world today is very different. My will specifies that my assets will be divided evenly among my children. 

This instruction intends to teach us to treat our children without prejudice. It is good advice. But not only do we sometimes ignore this Law to our own peril, but so did people in the Bible. Two examples come immediately to mind. The first is Joseph, Jacob's favorite son. Joseph received the double portion, not the oldest of Jacob's sons, who would have been Reuben; Joseph was son number 11, the second youngest, and yet he is the one to receive the "double portion." However, in Jacob's defense, while giving the double portion to the eldest child was the custom during Jacob's era, the Law had not yet been given to Moses. But Jacob is not the only one. Another example is King David, who gives the "double portion" to Solomon, the son of Bathsheba, and not Kileab, Adonijah, or another of Solomon's older brothers. 

So, what is the explanation? I am not sure I know, although I believe Jesus gave us a roadmap through these laws. Jesus taught us that we won't have to worry about these various laws if we love him and our neighbor. This is where our effort should be placed. If we are willing to love God and our neighbors, that will be enough.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Deuteronomy 22

He shall say: "Hear, Israel: Today you are going into battle against your enemies. Do not be fainthearted or afraid; do not panic or be terrified by them. – Deuteronomy 20:3

Today's Scripture Reading (March 8, 2025): Deuteronomy 20

"Today is a good day to die." It is the cry of the Klingons in Gene Roddenberry's (1921-1991) optimistic view of the future. The Star Trek creator and those who became caretakers of his vision after his death built the Klingon Empire around the idea of honor. They are a race made for battle whose warriors would find their way into Sto'Vo'Kor (Klingon heaven) as a reward for dying well in battle. I have always noted similarities between Roddenberry's fictional Klingon warriors and the Japanese soldiers who fought in World War II. That connection is likely intentional.

Klingon culture resulted in a warrior race of fierce fighters who fought without reserve. Klingons stormed into battle, instilling fear in their enemies as they let loose with their war cry or even the scream of grief that accompanied the death of a fellow soldier. There is a danger in someone who fights without fear, firm in the knowledge that even if they die, their deaths will be accompanied by their passage to Sto'Vo'Kor, the place of the honored dead.

Moses knows that taking Canaan will not be easy, nor will it be done without a fight. He won't be with his people when they enter the Promised Land, but God will. As a result, before the nation goes into battle, the priest(s) will appear before the army and remind them that they do not need to fear. They can be fearless in the fight because God is with them. An army that fights without fear is a dangerous army to fight against.

It is not that there will be no reason for fear. The enemies Israel will face will be bigger and stronger than they are. The enemies would often possess all the advantages that military generals crave in battle: superior numbers, technology, and equipment. But none of these things were enough to overcome the presence of God. 

It should be noted that these instructions assumed that the battle was God-ordained. Theologian Adam Clarke (1762-1832) reminds us of the danger of fighting a war without the approval of God.  "Divine assistance could not be expected in wars which were not undertaken by the Divine command" (Adam Clarke). 

The Apostle Paul gives a similar teaching to the Christian Church. "What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us" (Romans 8:31)? It's a good question. If we are going about the business of God, nothing can stand against the purposes that God has placed inside us.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Deuteronomy 21

Determine the distances involved and divide into three parts the land the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance, so that a person who kills someone may flee for refuge to one of these cities. – Deuteronomy 19:3

Today's Scripture Reading (March 7, 2025): Deuteronomy 19

Recently, Sanctuary Cities have become one of the focuses of the political right. These cities are an interesting phenomenon since the idea of a sanctuary city or place of refuge originates in a tradition from the oldest part of the Christian and Jewish faith. Initially, it was supposed to be a place to go if you were accused of a capital crime. It wasn't that this was a place where criminals could hide, but a place where everyone could pause until the accusation and the evidence could be examined by a judge. If a judge found you guilty, you would be released to those harmed by your crime and the justice available to society. But if you were innocent, then there was a place where you could live without fear that someone would kill you.

A City of Refuge had to be within reach of the people who needed it. As a result, Moses tells Israel that they should measure the distances involved and ensure that these places of refuge were within running distance of the people. These cities would be of limited value if they were hidden away in one corner of the nation. They needed to be central and not placed too close to each other.

Eventually, Israel would have six of these Levitical cities of refuge: Golan, Ramoth, and Bosor on the east side of the Jordan River. And Kedesh, Shechem, and Hebron on the west side. 

The United States has more than 560 Sanctuary cities. These cities exist to provide temporary refuge to people who are illegally in the country. Like the cities of refuge in the Bible, these places offer temporary shelter to those attempting to claim compassionate entrance into the United States because of hardship or political danger back at home. The top twelve Sanctuary Cities include Los Angeles, New York City, Chicago, Seattle, Austin, Newark, Denver, Philadelphia, Minneapolis, San Francisco, Portland (Oregon), and Providence (Rhode Island). If you can't go home, these are the places to which you can run and receive a short time to make your appeals to the necessary courts before being sent home.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Deuteronomy 20

The LORD said to me: "What they say is good. – Deuteronomy 18:17

Today's Scripture Reading (March 6, 2025): Deuteronomy 18

I have to admit I did some research on the internet this week because we know everything on the internet is accurate, and I was looking at some videos on the life of Moses. Many of the videos were pretty bad, but the comments attached to these videos really opened my eyes to the truth (yes, I am being sarcastic.) One of the comments that grabbed my attention was from a children's video about Moses, which was part of a Christian series on "Old Testament Prophets." The comment that caught my eye was listed right under the video. Someone commented, "Moses was Muslim, which is much better than a stupid cross." Someone who thought that they knew better than this person had responded, "How could Moses be a Muslim when Moses was before Islam." The response to that question (I am paraphrasing here because the original language was inappropriate) was, "Are you stupid? Islam was from the very beginning, long before Moses." As I sat at my desk looking at the comment, the whole exchange highlighted the problem we often have when we look back at something. We try to give them meaning from a future time and with future ideas of which they, in this case Moses, are entirely unaware. 

For those who are a little confused, Moses lived probably somewhere around 12 to 13 hundred years before Christ, depending on whose dating you are using. If Ramses II or Ramses the Great was the Pharoah that Moses did battle with, we can date his reign to 1279 – 1213 B.C.E. If this was Moses's Pharoah, then Moses would have grown up with Ramses. Christ was born a little more than 1200 years after the death of Ramses and Moses. The dating of Islam is really from the life of Muhammad, who lived in the 7th Century C.E. – or just over 600 years after Jesus. So, to say that Moses was a Christian, going back to the comment of the "stupid cross," or of Islam, is wrong. Moses couldn't have imagined either the cross or the revelations of God given to the great prophet Muhammad. 

Moses was a Jew, but even that isn't quite right. Moses was a descendant of Jacob who came to be known as Israel, and all of the descendants of Jacob have taken his name as their name; they are the people of Israel, but Judaism, as we understand it today, really didn't exist at the time of Moses. The seeds of Judaism are found in the Law of Moses, which Moses received from God in his early to mid-eighties. All of this means that Moses lived in a world where Judaism didn't exist, not yet. For most of Moses's life, Israel was a race of slaves living in Egypt. They probably had some conception of the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, but he was a distant God who didn't have much to do with their daily lives. Much more in their face would have been the gods of the Egyptians, whose temples and artifacts the Egyptians were busy building. So, to say that Moses was Christian or Muslim is wrong. But to say that Moses was a part of Judaism in many ways isn't right, either. Moses was the great father of all three sister faiths.

Moses storms onto the scene at a time when Israel needed somebody. But the people were already looking past Moses, who would soon die and leave Israel. They wanted someone like Moses to be raised up at the appropriate time. God responds to his people and agrees that this is a good suggestion. When the time was right, God would raise up a leader like Moses. It is here that the difference between the three Abrahamic faiths becomes apparent. In Judaism, the people still wait for someone like Moses to come. In Islam, there is no question that this second Moses was Muhammed, the Prophet. Jesus was a great prophet in his own right, but no one in this created world was higher than Muhammed. However, for Christians, Jesus is the second Moses, the "good idea" God confirmed to the people. He is the Son of God who died on the cross for our sins so that we could finally live for him. 

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Deuteronomy 19

If cases come before your courts that are too difficult for you to judge—whether bloodshed, lawsuits or assaults—take them to the place the LORD your God will choose. – Deuteronomy 17:8

Today's Scripture Reading (March 5, 2025): Deuteronomy 17

As a kid, I remember being roped into umpiring a baseball game. It wasn't at the top of my list of activities for the afternoon, but I agreed to the task. Everything was going relatively well until one borderline pitch. After the pitch, I honestly didn't know whether it was a ball or a strike. The catcher, who was at least a decade older than me, became instantly irate at my indecision. I was young, so I let the catcher's reaction decide my problem. It was a ball. Of course, that call did not endear me to the catcher. I was young enough to make the immature decision to narrow the strike zone a little more, at least when it came to one of the teams. Admittedly, the rest of the game was far from fair; at least, it was on any play that involved the catcher. It shouldn't have been that way; my only defense was that I was young. 

Israel had a system to handle disputes. Judges were assigned who could judge between the complainants in most legal disputes. But, if the case was too hard or demanded an appeal, the understanding was that the case would be taken to "the place the Lord your God will choose." This language indicates wherever the Tabernacle might be at that moment. At the time of Moses's instruction, the future location of the Tabernacle would have been unknown. And so, Moses simply indicated, "the place the Lord your God will choose."

The concept behind referring the case to priests ministering at the Tabernacle was that God could judge impartially and without emotion, unlike my stint as an umpire of a baseball game. Often, this was done through the casting of lots. Another method, although little understood, was using the Urim and Thummim. From what we know, experts think that Urim and Thummim were two sides of a thin piece of wood or bone. The wood or bone would be cast like a coin; if the Urim side were up, then God would have declared the suspect guilty. If the Thummim was up, then the suspect was innocent. Through the Urim and Thummim, God could speak to the people and decide the cases that were too complex or difficult for the judges or were appealed by suspects who continued to declare their innocence.  

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Deuteronomy 18

Count off seven weeks from the time you begin to put the sickle to the standing grain. – Deuteronomy 16:9

Today's Scripture Reading (March 4, 2025): Deuteronomy 16

For those who live in warmer climates, it might seem impossible to farm in a land that basically gives you only one harvest. But where I live, snow remains on the ground late into the spring, making it impossible to grow most crops. And while every year is different, the cold and snow can return in late summer. Often, it seems from the outside that our farmers frantically plant as soon as the snow leaves the field and then frantically harvest in the fall, which includes many prayers that there would be enough dry days, absent of either rain or snow, to get the harvest out of the field. For a non-farmer like me, it seems that there is a lot of luck involved in the art of farming.

In Israel, there are essentially three harvests: one for barley, one for wheat, and a final one for grapes, dates, and figs. The barley harvest is the year's first harvest, beginning in March and April. During the dry season, the wheat harvest is taken from the land in May and June. The season's final harvest takes place in the summer heat of July and August, which is the harvest that features grapes, dates, and figs. Then, in September and October, as the rains come once again, the planting begins, and the cycle starts all over.

Moses speaks to the people of the planting/harvest cycle that is still yet to come. As he talks to the people, Israel is an itinerant community; they do not plant or harvest. They feed themselves by gathering the manna and likely anything else that grows wild in the wilderness that they can eat. But the day is coming, and now it is coming soon when Israel will stop their wandering and put down roots so they can begin to plant and harvest in a regular cycle. Here, Moses is laying out the festivals that will be celebrated in the new Israel. And one of those festivals is the Festival of Weeks or Pentecost. Moses tells the people that to understand the timing of this festival, they are to start counting when they begin to harvest the standing grain. The instruction would seem to indicate from the beginning of the Barley harvest, count seven weeks, or seven weeks plus one day, and celebrate the Feast of Weeks or Pentecost as the nation begins the wheat harvest.

For Christians, Pentecost does not have a harvest theme but a planting theme. Pentecost has often been called the birthday of the church, and while I am not convinced that is true, it is a celebration of the day that the Holy Spirit was poured out or planted in God's people: us. It celebrates the church's power, which is never us and always God. 

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Deuteronomy 17

If anyone is poor among your fellow Israelites in any of the towns of the land the LORD your God is giving you, do not be hardhearted or tightfisted toward them. – Deuteronomy 15:7

Today's Scripture Reading (March 3, 2025): Deuteronomy 15

In Hamlet, Polonius, an adviser to the king, gives his son some advice before his son leaves the nest. I think it is a practice of fathers everywhere. It is a moment to give their progeny what they consider essential before the child leaves home to go and make their life somewhere else. For Polonius, the advice list is long. And it comes in a two-part format. Among the nuggets of wisdom Dad offers his son is the advice to listen to everyone but to be quiet in most situations. Another piece of wisdom Dad leaves with his child is to let others judge you but refrain from the temptation to return the favor and to wear good clothes but not so good that it sets you off from others.

In this same list of proverbs, we find what might be Polonius's most famous piece of advice. "Neither a borrower nor a lender be." You might have thought the advice was in the Bible. It is not, at least not in that form, although it agrees with what the Bible teaches. 

To understand Polonius's advice from a biblical point of view, we must understand the biblical purpose of a loan. From a biblical perspective, borrowing money has nothing to do with purchasing that new car with cash you don't have or even buying the latest game console with someone else's cash. Those things the Bible would say we should save up for; I know it is a novel concept. You borrowed money when you needed to buy the essentials of life, but disaster has left you without funds. Then, those with cash helped out those without. And every seven years, if anyone from Israel could not repay their loan, the debt was canceled. However, lending money was an action against poverty, and it always needed to be understood as such. 

Moses stresses this idea. Lending money is not a money-making endeavor. It is a statement against poverty. Let there be no one too poor to live if someone has enough to save them. But don't take advantage of these people, either. Because if that happens, then hearts will be hardened. Do not borrow money if there is any other option. Borrowing money for something you might want but don't need only makes someone else rich and you poor. We need to understand that. But if you can help someone in dire need, don't hold back even if we are nearing the seventh year of loan forgiveness. Understand the essential role of money within a community. And strive to be the one who lends and not the one who borrows. 

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Deuteronomy 16

The pig is also unclean; although it has a divided hoof, it does not chew the cud. You are not to eat their meat or touch their carcasses. – Deuteronomy 14:8

Today's Scripture Reading (March 2, 2025): Deuteronomy 14

According to Jewish Philosophy, God gave Moses 613 laws while the prophet met with him on the mountain. And those 613 laws have been divided into three categories. The first is what Jewish philosophers would call "mishpatim." These laws have a rational explanation and would be enacted and enforced in any orderly society. Prohibitions on at least some kinds of murder would be part of this group of laws. Every orderly society prohibits the killing of at least some group of its citizens—the who might vary from culture to culture, but someone cannot be killed without punishment. 

A second group of laws is called "eidot" and is understood if it is explained, but it probably wouldn't be legislated outside of a demand by the Torah that defines these things as wrong. Perhaps prohibitions against adultery would fit into this category. Adultery is wrong because it tears at the fabric of marriage and the family unit around which most societies are built. Explaining that a strong family unit is essential to our society is something we can expound on and explain. Still, outside of a command of God, it is unlikely to be a legal prohibition. At various times and in multiple cultures, adultery has been declared to be illegal. However, in secular cultures, which seem to have moved past the Bible or other religious texts, adultery is not listed as an action that violates the law.

The last group of laws are called "chukim." This group of laws has no logical explanation except that God has prohibited them. It is in this group of laws that food prohibitions are often placed. So, If you wonder why you can't have that "bacon double cheeseburger," it might violate Jewish food laws on two counts (bacon [pig] is prohibited, as is cooking a child in the milk of the mother, which some argue prohibits the use of cheese and beef together), the only answer I can give you is "because God says you can't."

However, it also these laws for which the early church got an exception, and why I occasionally enjoy my bacon cheeseburger.    

It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything beyond the following requirements: You are to abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality. You will do well to avoid these things (Acts 15:28-29).

With this letter, the Jewish church wiped away the food laws and maybe all laws that are "chukim" and do not appear to violate the law of love.  

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Deuteronomy 15

If your very own brother, or your son or daughter, or the wife you love, or your closest friend secretly entices you, saying, "Let us go and worship other gods" (gods that neither you nor your ancestors have known. – Deuteronomy 13:6

Today's Scripture Reading (March 1, 2025): Deuteronomy 13

Espionage and spies have been part of public life for as long as we have divided ourselves into cities, states, and nations. I have been spending a bit of time recently studying the life of Adolf Tolkachev, a Soviet Citizen who turned into a spy for the United States. I don't think I would make a good spy; some of the pressures placed on Tolkachev would drive me crazy. Tolkachev is often referred to as "The Billion Dollar Spy," a comment about the quality of the information about the Soviet Union that he turned over to the United States. Tolkachev had become disillusioned with the Soviet Union and wanted to take revenge on his former Eurasian masters.

One of the stories that originated during Tolkachev's time as a spy regarded the signal he would send indicating that Tolkachev needed to speak to his American handlers. That signal that Tolkachev required communication was to open up a particular window in his apartment. According to one of the stories, this might not have been the best signal because there were times when his wife would open the same window because she needed to get some air to flow through the apartment. Obviously, She didn't know that opening that window was a message to a foreign spy that her husband needed to talk. As a result, she would open the window and the American handler would show up at a meeting place to connect with Tolkachev, but the Billion Dollar Spy didn't show. Why would he; he hadn't sent the message. But for me, it was also significant evidence that Tolkachev's wife didn't know what was happening. After Tolkachev's execution, his widow would spend three years in jail, but the reality, based on the window incidents, seems to be that she knew very little about what her husband was doing. 

However, this story is likely played out repeatedly all over the globe. People, for reasons that often they only know, decide to sell confidential information, becoming spies of foreign governments. But maybe the most disturbing aspect of this kind of lifestyle is that it is a very lonely one; no one can know what they are doing because the more people who know, the greater the possibility that someone, maybe even unintentionally, will sell you out. 

Israel was built as a theocracy. What that meant was that God was the political leader of the nation. Knowing this, every Israelite who worshipped other gods was weakening the fabric of the country. And their action was essentially that of a traitor or a spy. Deuteronomy makes it clear that regardless of who that might have been, it was the duty of a law-abiding citizen to identify the traitor so that they could be dealt with, even if that person was someone who resided inside the core of the family unit. 

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Deuteronomy 14