The overseer replied, "She is the Moabite who came back from Moab with Naomi. – Ruth 2:6

Today's Scripture Reading (April 30, 2025): Ruth 2

Is it possible that the most honest day of the year is Halloween? I mean, on Halloween, we admit that we wear costumes and have fun with it. Every other day, we wear the costume and pretend that this is who we really are. But every year on October 31, we admit that we are wearing a costume. One of the phrases that I often use with people is, "In life, everything I have learned, I learned from Spiderman." (I know, it should be Jesus.) Peter Parker dons a costume to become Spiderman, but an essential part of the story is that even when Peter's costume is off, he still plays a part.

I have some other heroes. One is Maxwell Smart. And I can still hear the spy remarking that he "Missed it by that much." However, when you are aiming at a truck full of mattresses and miss them, it doesn't matter how much you miss it by. But the line in "Get Smart" is funny because it hits close to home. We could say that a lot. I remember one of my most embarrassing moments in sports. It happened during a football game. I was playing on the defensive line, and as I broke through the offensive line, I turned toward the quarterback and saw that he was trying to escape from the other side of the line and right into my waiting arms. So, I started to set myself up to take down the quarterback. The quarterback panicked and threw the ball. Unfortunately for him, he threw it right at me. Fortunately for him,  the ball hit me in the numbers and fell to the ground. I was so focused on tackling the quarterback that I forgot the game was about a ball. If I had caught it, even someone as slow as I am had a decent chance of scoring a touchdown. Unfortunately, I "missed it by that much."

We all have "missed it by that much" stories. Sometimes, they can tend to convey that who I am is really someone different, if only I hadn't missed it. The hardest thing to do when things aren't going right is to admit that this is who we are and where we are. That was the position in which Ruth found herself. Ruth had been living in the land of famine, and now she was in the land of plenty, but she was still living in poverty and lack. There is a rumor that Ruth might have been a Moabite princess, but that isn't who Ruth is in Israel. Here, she is just a stranger in a strange land. She is Naomi's daughter-in-law, and Naomi is a nobody in the land. So, Ruth swallows her pride, walks out into a field, and takes advantage of a law designed for poor people who lack food.

Ruth had a lot of "if only" games she could have played. If only my husband hadn't died. If only Moab hadn't experienced a famine. If only my husband's brother hadn't been killed because Jewish law said that she would become his responsibility. All of this could have been her version of "missed it by the much." But she didn't play those games; she said this is where I am, and I need to make the most of this place where I have found myself. I need to remove the costume and let the people see me as I am. It is a move that seems too courageous for most of us.

Better Homes and Gardens reported on a politician in 1932. They showed his gorgeous home and used the article to paint a picture of this politician at home. He was a concert piano player and loved to play the piano. He had a great art collection. He loved children and was generous toward them. He almost seemed to be the perfect politician. Unfortunately, the politician's name was Adolph Hitler. He missed it by that much.

Listen, the answer to who you are is not who you are at home, and it isn't who you are when you are having coffee with your friends; it is the totality of who you are. It is who you are in all circumstances. The story of Ruth continues with Ruth admitting who she really is and stepping into the fullness of that situation.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Ruth 3

When Naomi heard in Moab that the LORD had come to the aid of his people by providing food for them, she and her daughters-in-law prepared to return home from there. – Ruth 1:6

Today's Scripture Reading (April 29, 2025): Ruth 1

Ralph Klein (1942-2013) was a Canadian politician who lived most of his life in Western Canada. He was the Premier of the Province of Alberta from 1992-2006. But before that, Klein was the mayor of the City of Calgary in the southern portion of the province. Maybe one of the things we need to remember is that Klein was born in Calgary and died there. His allegiance was to the West of the northern country. I am not sure if he had any national ambitions, but the truth was that his love and defense of the Western provinces would have made any national aspirations impossible.

Klein was the Mayor of Calgary during a time when the economy of the Canadian West was booming, and the economy of the Eastern Canadian provinces was severely depressed. As a result, many easterners were moving west in a desperate attempt to find jobs. The economic growth in the Canadian West had been greeted with increased crime, something about which the political officials were deeply concerned. 

It was at this moment in time that Klein made one of his most famous speeches. In it, he had called the Eastern immigrants "creeps" and "bums." Klein invited the eastern immigrants to enjoy his city for a couple of weeks, but if they overstayed their welcome, he would instruct his police to round them up and imprison them. And lawlessness would not be tolerated. 

The migration of people from economically depressed areas to more prosperous ones is nothing new. It has been a fact of life throughout history. People migrate from one location to another, often chasing the things required for life. And so, Abraham went down into Egypt, voluntarily leaving the land that had been promised him in search of better living conditions. Jacob and his sons retreated from Canaan to Egypt because of a famine and stayed there for over four centuries. 

Naomi and her family left Israel for Moab to escape a famine generations later. But after the death of Naomi's husband, Elimelek, and her sons, Mahlon and Kilon, and following the restoration of food in Israel, Naomi decides that it is time to go home. Israel is where her extended family is, and it is there that she will find the support that she needs to make the most of the days she has left to live.  

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Ruth 2

Gideon and his three hundred men, exhausted yet keeping up the pursuit, came to the Jordan and crossed it. – Judges 8:4

 Today's Scripture Reading (April 28, 2025): Judges 8

Charles Spurgeon (1834-1892) said, 

If you, dear brethren and sisters, will give yourselves wholly to God's work, although you will      never get tired of it, you will often get tired in it. If a man has never tired himself with working    for God, I should think he never has done any work that was worth doing" (Charles Spurgeon). 

Spurgeon's comment reminds me of another phrase I used in the past but haven't thought much about recently. "If you aren't living on the edge, you're taking up too much space." If God has called you to do something, it is worth the exhaustion you will sometimes experience. 

A friend once commented that she was glad God hadn't given her any spiritual gifts. She was wrong about her gifting, but her comment was directed toward the gifted ones she had watched work themselves into exhaustion. Sometimes, we become fatigued in doing what we do. The older I get, the more I find that I need my summer break just to sit back and recharge my batteries so that I can do it all again. What my friend misses, though, is that while we are exhausted, we know that God is using us to make a difference. There are times when we need that reminder. At least, I know I need to be reminded that God is making a difference through me. In the wake of such encouragement, I am energized to keep going.

Gideon had defeated the Midianite forces that were threatening his land. The Midianites were in retreat, but Gideon and his forces continued to pursue them. It was a moment when Gideon was attempting to instill the maximum amount of fear into his enemy. 

The Midianite army likely thought that getting across the Jordan River and closer to home would get them to safety and maybe give them a chance to rest, regroup, and decide on the next steps. But Gideon was not going to give them that chance. Even though they were tired, he crossed the Jordan with his army and continued his pursuit. Gideon wanted to ensure that the enemy would never come back.

An amazing transformation has happened inside Gideon. When this story began, he was hiding in a winepress, trying to thresh his grain because he feared his Midianite adversaries. And now, Gideon is at the head of an army, chasing the Midianites out of Israelite territory so that no one would have to thresh grain in a winepress ever again.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Ruth 1

Personal Note: Happy Birthday to my Grandson, James. Seven is a great number. 

If you are afraid to attack, go down to the camp with your servant Purah and listen to what they are saying. Afterward, you will be encouraged to attack the camp." So he and Purah his servant went down to the outposts of the camp. – Judges 7:10-11

Today's Scripture Reading (April 27, 2025): Judges 7

President Franklin D. Roosevelt is credited with saying, "Courage is not the absence of fear but rather the assessment that something else is more important than fear." Fear is an essential component of courage. I know that is hard to believe, but there is no need for courage if there is no fear. I don't need courage to sit down and read a book because it is an activity that doesn't instill fear in me. What is a bit of a surprise is that one act that does take courage is hospital visitation. I don't like hospitals, maybe because I spent so much time in them as a child. I thought I was weird until I had a conversation with an older pastor, and he admitted that the first few times he tried to do hospital visitation, he drove to the hospital, parked in the hospital parking lot, and then sat in his car. During his first few hospital visits, he never went into the building. He meant to, but instead, he sat in the parking lot until the fear became so overwhelming that he gave up and went home. I was encouraged by his honesty, and while I had never gone to a hospital and then turned around and went home, there have been times when that was exactly what I wanted to do. Where there is no fear, there is no courage because courage isn't required. But where fear reigns, courage is the only tool we have to overcome it.

God instructs Gideon that if he is afraid, then he needs to go down to the enemy camp and listen to the conversations taking place there. Gideon was frightened, and God wouldn't leave him to figure it out for himself. God wanted Gideon to know that not only was he with him, but his enemy knew that God was with him. Gideon needed to see that he was instilling fear in the army against which he would be fighting. Sometimes, that helps. However,  it didn't mean that Gideon wouldn't need courage. God provided Gideon the hope he needed to see the plan through to its destination.

Sometimes, I wish we could see the fear living in those around us. Seeing that fear might allow us to understand each other better. But it also might give us the courage to do something for each other. Because courage is always more powerful in the presence of others, God told Gideon not to go down to the camp alone but to take his servant with him. In this moment, God knew what Gideon needed. And today, he knows what it is that we need, too.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Judges 8

The angel of the LORD came and sat down under the oak in Ophrah that belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, where his son Gideon was threshing wheat in a winepress to keep it from the Midianites. – Judges 6:11

Today's Scripture Reading (April 26, 2025): Judges 6

Gideon was alone. He was threshing wheat in the winepress because the winepress was hidden, and any passing Midianites wouldn't see him. On this night, Gideon was a frustrated, frightened, and solitary person. The angel didn't come to him when he was out celebrating with his friends; he addressed the farmer when he was alone, scared, and hiding.

In my late teens, one of the bands I enjoyed listening to released what has come to be recognized as a groundbreaking work. The band was Pink Floyd, and the album was "The Wall." The entire album, which I have on vinyl, tells the story of a rock star named Pink who grows up and decides that the best thing he can do is isolate himself because of the negative moments of life. Pink, like Gideon, determines that the best reaction to life is to go it alone. By the way, "The Wall" is the antithesis of the Christian message. Pink is suffering a very real, and even common, tragedy, but that is not how life was intended to be lived. 

At one point, Pink asks a question of his mother. "Mama, should I build the wall?"

The response? 

        Hush now baby, baby, don't you cry.

        Mother's gonna make all your nightmares come true.

        Mother's gonna put all her fears into you.

        Mother's gonna keep you right here under her wing.

        She won't let you fly, but she might let you sing.

        Mama's gonna keep baby cozy and warm.

        Ooooh babe ooooh babe oooooh babe,

        Of course, mama's gonna help build the wall (Roger Walters, Mother, 1979)

The Closing words of the song are

        Mother, did it have to be so high?

Unfortunately, Pink is living the truth of many of our lives. We live in a critical society. We criticize so easily; sometimes, I am convinced we don't even realize we are doing it. And all our criticisms do is build that internal wall a little higher. The wall keeps us isolated and helps us defend against the arrows headed our way. I can't let you see me, who I really am, because you won't like me. We learn to major in criticism and minor in celebration. The reality is that criticism builds the wall, but celebration tears it down. If I am criticized, I isolate myself and become even more afraid because I am alone. We need to be all about celebration.

Pink Floyd knew a little about Mental Illness. One of their own had succumbed early in their career. The song "Shine On You Crazy Diamond" is written about Syd Barrett, a founding band member. 

There is a story that has been going around for years that takes place during Pink Floyd's recording of their "Wish You Were Here" project. Legend has it that as they were recording "Shine On You Crazy Diamond," an extremely long song about Syd Barrett, this guy walked into the studio and sat down. He was overweight and bald, and the band just figured he must have been friends with somebody in the studio, so they had let him come into the session. Pink Floyd continued to play, and then one of them looked hard at the bald guy in the studio, then stopped and turned to the other members and said, "That's Syd!" They looked and decided the visitor was Syd, so the band members walked out to talk to him. Syd seemed disengaged. At one point in the conversation, he asked where he should plug in his guitar." Syd Barrett had not played with Pink Floyd for years and had no guitar with him.

I'm afraid that one of my greatest fears is that we have been successful in building the wall around us. I don't think anyone is exempt from this. The wall has either been built or it is being constructed in our lives. Currently, our walls are at various heights. We are frightened of letting anyone in, and we are alone. Like Syd Barrett, we are looking for a place to plug in, but the wall is so complete that we can't find it. Like Gideon, we work away in a secret place where nobody can see or criticize us. We need a change of culture in the church. One that says I encourage you and love you. I am not here to criticize you or to tear you down.

Paul starts all of his letters with the words Grace and Peace. If you're afraid of being criticized, let me remind you of grace and that there is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus. If you fear being criticized, let me tell you about peace, shalom, a harmony of existence between you and God. The only way we will pull down our walls is by relying on grace and peace. 

So, wherever you are, may I extend grace and peace to you. It is time to start tearing down the walls we have built around our lives.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Judges 7

Why did you stay among the sheep pens to hear the whistling for the flocks? In the districts of Reuben there was much searching of heart. – Judges 5:16

Today's Scripture Reading (April 25, 2025): Judges 5

One of the enormous differences between the United States and Canada is the tie to Europe of both countries. For better or worse, Canada has voluntarily remained connected with Europe through the United Kingdom and the British Commonwealth. However, that time may be coming to a close. With the Commonwealth's refusal to back Canada in its current dispute with the United States, maybe the time has come for that relationship to end. Yet, even nations like Germany have affirmed their support for Canada. In a surprise move that I will admit I didn't see coming, there is support in Canada for the country joining the European Union. It won't happen because Europe won't allow a North American country to join their club, but the idea that Canada would want to join is a massive surprise. 

The United States has somewhat cut ties with Europe. However, the relationship has had its moments. The United States has consistently considered events in Europe as something that happens a long way off, and there has been a hesitancy in getting involved in "European conflicts." That was true in World War I. The United States declared its neutrality in the war. At the same time, Canada entered the war in August 1914 on the side of the United Kingdom, while the United States didn't join the fight until almost three years later, in April 1917. The reason the U.S. entered the war was that German submarines were indiscriminately sinking ships in the Atlantic Ocean, including American transports. The German action affected the United States' ability to sell its wares in Europe. And so, the United States entered the fight. 

World War II revealed a similar calendar of events. In many ways, the timeline of the Second World War begins with the end of the First. However, the accepted date for the beginning of the Second World War was September 1939, when Germany invaded Poland. The event forced the United Kingdom to admit they couldn't sit on the sideline anymore. They entered the war in an attempt to support Poland and the nations of Europe, and once again, Canada entered the war with their British friends. The United States once again attempted to stay neutral but entered the war when Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, in December 1941.

There isn't a moral conclusion here. Maybe Canada should have waited to enter the war, coming in simultaneously with the United States. Or perhaps the United States should have recognized that both conflicts would bring war to the world and that neutrality might be a concept from the past. The good news is that in both wars and many other conflicts, the United States and Canada have fought more like brothers than anything else, sometimes side by side. In both wars, Britain understood that the presence of the United States was essential to a favorable resolution to the conflicts, which is another difference between the United States and Canada. The United States was the difference maker in both wars.  

Jabin, the King of Canaan, was threatening Israel. And something had to be done. Enter Deborah, the prophetess. She prophesied that Israel was going to defeat the Canaanite forces in battle. She also prophesied that a woman would strike the final blow because of Barak's hesitancy in going into battle without Deborah.

Because Israel had faith in Deborah, an army was raised to go up against the forces of Jabin, and Israel received from God their victory. And in the aftermath, Deborah and Barak sang a song of victory and praise to God. It is in this victory song that Deborah reminds us of an unfortunate truth. Not every tribe from Israel was involved in the victory. These tribes weren't late to the dance; they never showed up. Maybe they felt that the war was too far away and didn't involve them. East Manasseh and Reuben were located on the East side of the Jordan River, and Dan and Asher were in the far north of Israel. But Gad participated, and they were also located on the East side of the Jordan. And Naphtali was situated in the north, and they showed up, so not everyone used the excuse. Therefore, Deborah feels justified in her attempt to shame the "no-shows" in her song. 

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Judges 6

Again the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the LORD, now that Ehud was dead. – Judges 4:1

Today's Scripture Reading (April 24, 2025): Judges 4

I am a proud Canadian. I have admitted that before, and more than just being a Canadian, I actually still live in Canada. My heritage is Irish, and I know that the suspicion is that the Irish diaspora is larger than the number of Irish people who live in Ireland. Sometimes, I feel the same way about Canadians. You likely have a Canadian living near you regardless of where you live. But I am a Canadian living in Canada.

I am a proud Canadian, and I am also not a huge fan of President Trump. I haven't been a fan since before he got into politics, which sets me apart from many of my neighbors. You have to understand I live in Alberta, which is the Redneck Capital of Canada, and one thing that I know is that Rednecks love President Trump. All of this means that I am out of step with the politics of my area. Because of the tariffs, some of my friends are coming over to the dark side, which is a little scary because I think they have considered me the Canadian Darth Vader since 2015. I have to admit that it feels good to have the company. On another note, Comedian John Stewart recently called Canada the "labradoodle of allies;" I am increasingly okay with that description. 

All of this admission has a purpose. I read recently on Social Media that Donald Trump is the reason for a revival in the United States, that he is the instrument God is using to draw the United States to himself. I admit that I am not a fan of the President; in fact, I find America First and its close cousin, Canada First, to be decidedly antiChristian. Christ always put others first. This doesn't have to mean sacrificially, but that we consider what happened to others significant to our life choices. Sin is often phrased as taking advantage of the other person. The idea that we would do only what benefitted us and his church seems to have never crossed Jesus's mind. Life isn't about me; it is about God. However, there is a second problem with the thought that the President is bringing people back to God. Here it is: Donald Trump is temporary. I don't mean that this is his last term. I predicted in 2016 that President Trump might serve three terms as President of the United States. The President seems to have every intention of running for that third term and maybe longer. Welcome to the 21st century. But someday, the President will die; none of us live forever. Then, the baton will be passed to the next generation, which might mean King Eric, King Donald II, or perhaps even King Barron. And if revival is based on King Donald I, then the nation will again fall into sin. 

It is the story of Ehud. Ehud was a good man who kept Israel safe and led them into a revival and a return to God. And that revival lasted as long as Ehud was alive. But because the revival was based in Ehud, it had no staying power. Instead, the people returned to their evil ways as soon as Ehud died. And that is the sad truth for every revival based on a person. If it is built around a leader, we might be okay if the leader is with us. However, when the leader is removed, the people return to the desires hidden in their hearts, where there has been no change. God wants to do a work in all of us, but he has to build it in our hearts and nowhere else. It can't be because a political or spiritual leader is leading us. It has to be because that is what we want God to do in our lives, or we will return to our former ways when the leader can no longer tell us what to do.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Judges 5

He presented the tribute to Eglon king of Moab, who was a very fat man. – Judges 3:17

Today's Scripture Reading (April 23, 2025): Judges 3

His name was Eglon. And we know very little about him. Why should we? Few records have survived from this era in history. But we have the Bible and the spoken stories that have been whispered and told around campfires for thousands of years.

For starters, he was King over Moab. Moab was a nation that had been a thorn in the side of Judah throughout their shared history. Moab existed on the other side of the Dead Sea from the land occupied by the Tribe of Judah, and the people had descended from Lot's elder daughter, whose story is told in Genesis 19. If we look back at that story, it is a tale that begins with an angel telling Abraham and Sarah of the miracle that would take place in their lives during the following year. Within one year, Sarah, who was now 90 years old and, in her words, "old and worn out," would give birth to her first child. Abraham was almost a hundred years old, but now God had chosen to provide them with a son, Isaac, the father of Jacob, who would become the father of the nation of Israel.

The counterweight to the story of the birth of Isaac is the birth of Moab. After the fall of Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities of the plain, the daughter of Lot got Dad drunk and slept with him. The result of the union between Lot and his eldest daughter was a child they called Moab. Eglon was his descendent. Moab's name is heavy with meaning. Moab means "from my father." It is a name that sums up the sordid story of Lot and his daughters. Eglon was a descendant of Lot, just as Ehud, the other main character in this story, was a descendant of Isaac. 

According to the Talmud, Eglon was also Balak's grandson. The story of Balak is told in the Book of Numbers. Balak was also the King of Moab and wanted to defeat Israel, so he hired Balaam to prophesy against Israel. But Balaam found that he couldn't curse the nation. Every time he tried to speak a curse against Israel, it came out as a blessing. But the story of Balak and Balaam is probably best known because it contains a story about a talking donkey. If you don't believe me, then check out Numbers 22.

But maybe the biggest surprise of the Talmudic teaching is that it is thought that Eglon had a daughter named Ruth. The fact that Eglon was the Grandson of King Balak is not much of a surprise; Kings are often the sons and grandsons of Kings. However, the idea that Eglon is Ruth's father is somewhat surprising. But there is something in the passage in Judges that we gloss over too often. 

Ehud then approached him while he was sitting alone in the upper room of his palace and said, "I have a message from God for you." As the king rose from his seat, Ehud reached with his left hand, drew the sword from his right thigh and plunged it into the king's belly (Judges 3:20-21).

Did you catch it? Or did you get caught up in the killing of the King? Eglon rose at the mention of the name of God. At the name of "Elohim," he stood, a sign that the King was giving God his respect. Rabbis believe that because he gave God respect, God decided to do something special for Eglon through his daughter Ruth. Ruth, the Moabite, daughter of Eglon, married Boaz, the Israelite, and Ruth brought forth a son, and they called him Obed. Obed was the father of Jesse, who was the father of King David. David might not have known it, but he possessed royal blood through the unlikeliest of sources: his Moabite Great-Grandmother. Is the story of the Talmud true? I am not sure. I have no idea where the ancient notion came from. But if anyone had the ability and integrity to make the jump from being a princess to voluntary exile and the duty to protect her mother-in-law, it might just be Ruth.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Judges 4

They forsook the LORD, the God of their ancestors, who had brought them out of Egypt. They followed and worshiped various gods of the peoples around them. They aroused the LORD's anger because they forsook him and served Baal and the Ashtoreths. – Judges 2:12-13

Today's Scripture Reading (April 22, 2025): Judges 2

Have you ever broken a promise? Or are you like George Washington, who never told a lie? I know that I have broken promises; actually, quite a few of them. Oh, there are excuses; sometimes, I just get too busy, and I forget to do what I promised to do. I don't think I ever simply decided not to do something that I had said I would do. However, every time I broke a promise, I regretted it. I wish I hadn't. Have you ever felt that way? Maybe that should keep us from wanting to break our promises ever again.

When Joshua said, "As for me and my household, we will serve the God who brought us out of Egypt and placed us in a new land" (Jeremiah 24:15), all of Israel replied, "That's what we are going to do too. We will serve the God of Israel" (Jeremiah 24:16). But time passes. It didn't take long for the people to move on from the God they promised to serve to the gods of the land into which they were moving. 

As I read this passage, I picked up on the plural Baals in verse 11 and the singular form in verse 13. Maybe I am just geek enough to go back to the Hebrew and see if they were the same word or different. You probably don't care, but the answer is that it is the same word. But there is a point to the change. In the ancient world, Baal was not a singular God. Baal simply means Lord and the term was used for many gods. According to some experts, even Yahweh was sometimes called Baal. So, using the plural Baals in verse 11 is a nod to the likelihood that Israel did not trade the God of Israel for one god called Baal, but the nation likely left the God of Israel to serve many different gods in different parts of the country.

At the same time, there was a god called Ba'al. It was Ba'al that Elijah met on Mount Carmel. And there was some logic to what happened on the Mountain. There had been a drought for three years. Israel needed rain. Yahweh was the God who had led Israel out of Egypt. He was the God who divided the Red Sea and the Jordan River. If they needed a river divided or to escape from Egypt, they would call on Yahweh, the God of Israel. Ba'al was the God of rain and thunder. He was the Thor of the Middle East. On Mount Carmel, they needed lightning and rain from the God of Thunder. And so, the people called on Ba'al.

But it was Yahweh who won the battle. Thor, regardless of how cool he might be, didn't even show up. However, the incident was just another example of Israel breaking the promise they had given to God in the presence of Joshua. 

The author of Judges doesn't identify himself, but it seems likely that the stories of the Judges were gathered together and written down by the last Judge and the one who anointed the first two Kings of Israel. His name was Samuel. Samuel felt keenly the violation of the promise of Israel. He felt betrayed by the people when they demanded a king, and he felt betrayed by the first king, Saul, who left his first love and went on to worship other gods. The people had forsaken their God and broken their promises, and Samuel had to wonder if there was any coming back from these sins for his nation. 

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Judges 3

And Caleb said, "I will give my daughter Aksah in marriage to the man who attacks and captures Kiriath Sepher." – Judges 1:12

Today's Scripture Reading (April 21, 2025): Judges 1

In 1236 C.E., two nobles entered into a contract with each other. Both men had something that the other wanted. But added to the agreement was a marriage. The two men were Humphrey, Earl of Warwick, and Sir Ralph of Thosney. Sir Ralph had a son named Roger, and Humphrey had a daughter named Alice, and the marriage was between these children of the Noblemen. When looking at the contract between Humphrey and Ralph, it becomes apparent that the wedding is almost an afterthought. However, it is also important to note that while neither child appears to have had any input on the union, it is also clear that Alice was gifted to Roger, and not vice versa.

In centuries past, this idea was a common one. Alliances between families and nations were often made through arranged marriages. Even in the Bible, this idea was commonly accepted. We remember Solomon's 700 wives of royal birth and 300 concubines, but very few, if any, of these relationships were unions of love. There doesn't seem to be anything close to even the infatuation that Solomon's father, David, held for his mother, Bathsheba. A vast majority of Solomon's 1000 relationships were political allies. Where his father had made peace through force and was often at war with the countries surrounding Israel, Solomon kept the peace through the alliances solidified through marriage to King Solomon himself.

Caleb promises to marry his daughter to the one who could take Kiriath Sepher. Experts argue that Caleb is being generous with the offer of his daughter, and that is true, but he needs Kiriath Sepher secured. He evaluates that taking control of Kiriath Sepher is worth marriage to his daughter if someone can get the job done. But there is likely another subtle motivation for the gift of his daughter. Caleb is aging, and whoever is able to take Kiriath Sepher is probably someone who could care for his daughter. The one who can take the city is not likely to be weak and without ambition. So, Caleb gets the city and future security for his daughter. Caleb feels that is a trade worth making. 

But that doesn't take away from the fact that Caleb's daughter is being treated like property. She does not have any input on who this mysterious husband would be. Unlike the deal between Humphrey, Earl of Warwick, and Sir Ralph of Thosney, Caleb's new son-in-law will have some input on the future wedding. However, like Alice, the daughter of Humphrey, Caleb's daughter has nothing to say about the deal her Dad is trying to make. 

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Judges 2

When the young women of Shiloh come out to join in the dancing, rush from the vineyards and each of you seize one of them to be your wife. Then return to the land of Benjamin. – Judges 21:21

Today's Scripture Reading (April 20, 2025): Judges 21

It is a mathematical principle but not a moral one. I remember learning in math class in grade school that a negative number multiplied by a second negative number results in a positive number. I guess that makes sense, but don't ask me to explain it to you. On a moral plain, we sometimes seem to think that a second wrong can correct the first wrong we committed. But another principle I was taught in grade school says that isn't true. Two wrongs don't make a right. 

But that doesn't seem to stop us. So, we try to cover up for a lie by telling a bigger lie. When we are caught doing something wrong, we follow the advice of those who have gone before us and deny, deny, deny. 

In the wake of the disaster at Gibeah, Israel has a problem. If the tragedy at Gibeah was not enough, it was about to be compounded by a second tragedy, the destruction of the Tribe of Benjamin. And so, Israel gathers one more time to discuss what should take place next. The most obvious answer was that the tribes should give their daughters in marriage to the 400 warriors of Benjamin who were left after the war. But the tribes had sworn an oath not to give their daughters to Benjamin because of the sin at Gibeah. It was a foolish oath.

Maybe the appropriate response was to admit that the oath was a mistake, ask for forgiveness, and move on. But that is not what the tribes decide to do. Instead, they seem to believe the first mistake could be corrected with a second one. They decide that the men of Benjamin could be set up to kidnap their wives from the other tribes. There is some understanding that maybe the women were in on the set-up and were willing participants in the kidnapping, but we don't know that. Essentially, the plan was to have the warriors of Benjamin steal the women without the tribal leaders having to agree with the marriage. The leaders of Israel were telling these men to do something illegal but promising not to prosecute them for their sins. Maybe it somehow made sense to them, but there was an easier way.

All of this is summed by the phrase that encapsulates the time of the judges. "In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as they saw fit." The plan had originated within the fallible minds of men instead of in the will of the God they pretended to serve. And the second wrong was complicating the situation instead of making it right.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Judges 1

Then all Israel from Dan to Beersheba and from the land of Gilead came together as one and assembled before the LORD in Mizpah. – Judges 20:1

Today's Scripture Reading (April 19, 2025): Judges 20

On July 1, 1949, Los Angeles County deputy sheriffs entered the home of Richard Rochin. They didn't have a search warrant, but they had a belief that there were illegal drugs on the premises. Rochin's bedroom was on the building's second floor, and they chased Rochin into that room. Deputies quickly noticed two capsules on the bedside table, but Rochin swallowed them before they could discover what the capsules were.

The deputies violently took hold of Richard Rochin and choked him. One deputy even shoved his fingers down the throat of Rochin, trying to retrieve the capsules, but they were unsuccessful. So, they arrested Rochin and transported him to the hospital. In the hospital emergency department, Rochin was strapped to a table and had tubes plunged down his throat into his stomach and fluid pumped in until Rochin vomited up the capsules. The capsules were then tested and were discovered to contain morphine. The capsules were a violation of the California Health and Safety Code. Rochin was charged with the unlawful possession of morphine. 

Maybe a reminder is essential here. The police did not obtain a search order to enter Richard Rochin's premises. Any casual observer of a television legal drama (any "Law and Order" fans out there) knows that not having a search warrant is a significant problem. Except that this was 1949. In the original trial against Richard Rochin, the defense tried to argue that the evidence had been illegally obtained because of the lack of that pesky search warrant. But the court decided that it didn't care how the evidence was obtained. The evidence was enough to prove Richard Rochin's guilt.

However, that decision was appealed to the United States Supreme Court. The Supreme Court reversed the decision, arguing that the lengths that the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department went to in obtaining the evidence "shocked the conscience" of the people. It might have been different if other drugs were found on the premises, even without the search warrant. After all, this was 1949. But the only drugs they discovered were the ones that Rochin had swallowed, and the police had violently assaulted Rochin to retrieve them. 

In the aftermath of the violence at Gibeah, it seems that the events had "shocked the conscience" of Israel. And all of Israel gathered to discuss what the next steps should be. It was an astonishing act of unity for the fledgling nation. Something had to be done about Gibeah; on this, the country agreed. There had to be an appropriate response because the rape and murder at Gibeah violated the law that Israel was supposed to be built around and everything that God had commanded his people to do. 

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Judges 21

There they stopped to spend the night. They went and sat in the city square, but no one took them in for the night. – Judges 19:15

Today's Scripture Reading (April 18, 2025): Judges 19

Growing up, it seemed that we drove everywhere. If it were a long-distance trip, we would stop at various motels or hotels with a vacancy. My maternal grandparents liked to camp. I remember Grandpa and Grandma traveling while pulling a trailer behind them. At the time, you didn't have to reserve a space ahead of time. You could drive during the day and then look for a vacancy at night. I don't remember there ever being a problem finding a spot to stay the night and then resume the journey the next day.

I remember one story that my grandpa liked to tell. It concerned a trip my grandparents took late in the camping season. This trip was so late that on the way home, they ran into a problem with finding campgrounds that were still open. One night, their search was utterly unsuccessful. But Grandpa had a solution. He pulled into a closed campground and set up camp on the front lawn of the campground office. It was late, so Grandma and Grandpa ate a quick meal and then got into the trailer for a night's sleep. When Grandpa told the story, there was another aspect about this night: a police car came through the campground about once an hour to check on the place, and, with each pass, the officer would honk his horn. Grandpa's interpretation of the hourly car honk was that the officer was telling him that he was safe because someone was watching over him and his property. 

I wasn't with my grandparents on this trip, but I have always wondered about a different interpretation of the hourly honk. In my mind, the officer was reminding my grandparents that they weren't supposed to be there. After all, the campground was closed. The honk was a gentle reminder that Grandpa wasn't supposed to be parked there, and maybe it was time to move along. But I have no idea. It is just a guess.

The idea of hotels and campgrounds placed almost everywhere you might want to travel is a relatively recent development in history. For most of history, places to stay were rare, and the biggest asset of a traveler was the hospitality of others, a willingness to invite a stranger into a home to spend the night and maybe share a meal. 

As this Levite and his concubine come to Gibeah, they go straight for the town square. There, they sit and wait for an invitation. But there is no invitation. Apparently, this town is closed to visitors. This lack of an invitation is not a good sign in a culture where hospitality is stressed. It doesn't bode well for the town and is the beginning of one of the worst stories of the entire Bible.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Judges 20

So the Danites sent five of their leading men from Zorah and Eshtaol to spy out the land and explore it. These men represented all the Danites. They told them, "Go, explore the land." So they entered the hill country of Ephraim and came to the house of Micah, where they spent the night. – Judges 18:2

Today's Scripture Reading (April 17, 2025): Judges 18

A recent study revealed that the human race is hard-wired to find the easy way to do things. The study also stresses that we are not lazy; we are simply designed to find the easiest way. The study presented their subjects with a group of dots, and the participants had to indicate using a pair of levers placed in their right and left hands whether the dots were moving left or right. I am unsure if there was a correct answer to the question or whether the motion of the dots was part of an optical illusion and the dots could be perceived as going both ways. Still, the participants responded to the motion of the dots with the lever in the appropriate hand. However, the participants didn't realize that the amount of pressure it took to depress one of the levers was steadily increasing. This meant that choosing one of the levers began to require a little more effort. The study revealed that as one lever became more difficult to press, the subjects consistently began to choose the easier lever, a result of the way we seem to be wired. 

We search for the easy way or even just what seems easier. There is a second reality that we have watched historically over the past couple of centuries. Science has repeatedly given us devices that were supposed to make our lives easier. However, the reality is that our lives haven't gotten easier; instead, the standards have changed. A good example is the vacuum cleaner. It was initially advertised as a time-saving device that would make life easier, but the reality is that the standard for a clean home changed. Today, advertisements for Vacuum cleaners stress how much cleaner your house will be rather than how much time you will save. However, time-saving was advertised in the days that followed the invention of the vacuum cleaner. We probably spend the same time cleaning the house as they did generations ago, but our houses are significantly cleaner. More proof that while we might be hard-wired for the easy way, we are not lazy by design.

Dan had received an allotment of land with the other tribes of Israel. But they had decided that the effort needed to take that section of Canaan was too difficult for the tribe to undertake. And so, the leaders of Dan started to look for an easier way to settle in the land. Their attention fell on the hill country that had actually been part of the allotment given to the Tribe of Ephraim. Spies were sent into the land to evaluate the expected level of resistance in the hill country and to see if there was space that Ephraim was not utilizing where Dan could settle.   

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Judges 19

So the Levite agreed to live with him, and the young man became like one of his sons to him. – Judges 17:11

Today's Scripture Reading (April 16, 2025): Judges 17

I recently read an article about the things that we get wrong in the things that we say. Most of the article spent time on what were essentially English spelling mistakes. For instance, "Wet your appetite" should be "Whet your appetite." The word "whet" has a different meaning than "wet." Making your appetite damp and mushy doesn't make you want to eat more unless you like to dunk your Oreos in milk before you eat them. "Whet" means "to sharpen or stimulate." If you "wet" your appetite, it means you will somehow make your appetite soggy, but if you "whet" your appetite, it means you will sharpen or stimulate your appetite.  

One of my favorite mis-sayings was not included in the list. The saying I love to hate is, "You want to have your cake and eat it too." Have you ever used the phrase? The problem is that nothing is complicated about doing it how we say it. In fact, it is necessary. I have to have a McDonalds Quarter Pounder before I can eat it. Have you tried recently to eat something that you don't possess? Even if it is purchased through Skip the Dishes, I must possess something before eating it. To eat my cake, I have to have it. We do have our cake and eat it too all the time. The trick is not to have your cake and eat it too. The trick is to eat your cake and have it too. It is the dream of every kid at Halloween. Consider what it would be like to eat your Halloween Candy and still have it to eat the next day. What if you still had every piece of candy that you ate? The candy would never run out if you could eat it and still have it. With food prices on the rise, it is an attractive dream.

A Levite is looking for a job. The Levites were intended to care for the Tabernacle and, later, the Temple. But as the number of Levites grew, their time at the Tabernacle shortened. The Levites spent some time at the Tabernacle but often would spend extended periods away from the Tabernacle. Usually, they would take care of farms and food production on the land surrounding their homes. But this Levite leaves where he is and goes out searching for a place to stay. During his travels, he runs into Micah. Micah was probably not the best person for this Levite. The Levite had already started down the wrong path, and now he found himself in Micah's company, who was also heading in the wrong direction. 

Micah offers him a job as his priest. It was an opportunity. All he had to do was serve the God of Micah. Micah had gotten it wrong, but now he hoped that hiring a Levite to act as a priest would give his religion some legitimacy. But this Levite couldn't make anything right. Ultimately, he just broadened the group of those who had been deceived. 

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Judges 18

"Now then," said Joshua, "throw away the foreign gods that are among you and yield your hearts to the LORD, the God of Israel." – Joshua 24:23

Today's Scripture Reading (April 15, 2025): Joshua 24

There is a bit of an interesting exchange between the children of God and Joshua. Joshua tells the people they need to choose who they will follow and encourages them to choose God. As a result, the people declare that they will choose God, but Joshua, maybe surprisingly, replies that they can't because God won't forgive them. "You are not able to serve the LORD. He is a holy God; he is a jealous God. He will not forgive your rebellion and your sins" (Joshua 24:19). What is Joshua trying to tell the tribes, and by extension, us?

Theologian John Hunter argues, "In many churches, God seems to be merely happy, not holy. If today we lose sight of the holiness of God, we do so at our own loss, both in purity and power." He seems to believe that the church has made the emotional choice (happiness) but not the intellectual choice (holy or moral decision).

I would argue the reverse. The intellectual choice is not enough. The contemporary era has closed its doors to Christ and has depended on the intellectual decision. It has almost become unspiritual in some places in the church to talk about the emotional. We have even made repentance an intellectual activity, including a listing of sins for which we need to make a transaction, part of the process. I have even had good Christians tell me that you can't be forgiven if you can't list it. What we miss is that repentance is not strictly an intellectual activity. It is also an emotional one. We have sinned in making repentance a purely intellectual activity.  

I believe Joshua has got this right. Throw away your idols and yield your heart. Yield what is precious, the things to which you have developed an emotional attachment, to God. Repent of the way you are. By emotional, I don't mean we will always break down and cry, although we might. Emotion is about the things we have come to love; it is about where we have placed our hearts, which means that the emotional part of our being will always threaten to get us into trouble.

A study completed a few years ago found that those who responded to an altar call of repentance, usually by an overwhelming percentage, had decided intellectually that change was needed in their lives long before the meeting. They had agreed with their heads, but lasting change usually comes when we yield our hearts. By the way, this is the biblical meaning of repentance. Repentance means turning and moving in a different direction or following God with your head and your heart. 

Maybe this is the center of what Joshua was trying to tell his people. Intellectual repentance is not enough. God can't forgive you if your emotions are not included in turning over everything to God because just intellectual repentance won't last. 

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Judges 17

Do not associate with these nations that remain among you; do not invoke the names of their gods or swear by them. You must not serve them or bow down to them. – Joshua 23:7

Today's Scripture Reading (April 14, 2025): Joshua 23

We are highly moldable people if the price is right. Having a monetary bribe isn't always necessary; sometimes, it appeals to much more of the core of our being and our dreams than just money. I have watched a lot of brilliant friends and people with a morality that I greatly respect change what they believe without even realizing it because of political pressure. And that worries me.

It was the concern of my parents when I was a kid. The people I hung around with could greatly influence my behavior, but even more importantly, people would have an impact on what I believed. The reality was that they knew I was moldable, but so were they. And the people we spend time with are given a chance to be the ones who mold us.

Maybe more significantly, I have recently watched supporters of President Donald Trump change their minds because of the economics of tariffs. Yes, I have a problem with that. The argument I have heard from this cadre of friends is that President Trump is a profoundly moral man. I may disagree, but if you believe that, then tariffs shouldn't change that evaluation. We need leaders in our nations who have a high sense of right and wrong and are positive influencers. But these people are not accidental freaks of nature. They are people who have spent time with people who they want to emulate in life. They are people who have made sure that other positive influencers influenced them. 

Joshua reminds Israel that they are not only moldable as people but also as a nation. As nations, we will become like the countries we spend time with, support, or trade with. Friends on the national stage need to be nations with similar values to those we hold. For Israel, that wasn't the one that existed in Canaan. If they spent time with these nations or grew to respect them, they would also come to respect their gods. These gods would lead them into sin. 

Israel could not get to the place where they bowed down or promised to serve these nations. God promised the Israelites that as long as they served him, they would not be forced to bow down to these nations. But if they sinned, they would find themselves in situations they did not want to experience.

Nothing has really changed. Who is it that our nations bow down to? I know I am concerned about some of those relationships because I don't want my nation to become like those other nations. The time has come to send a message to our politicians; it is time to stand for right and wrong, develop relationships with nations who believe the same things as we do, and who project themselves on the world stage with values that we can share. 

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Joshua 24

"The Mighty One, God, the LORD! The Mighty One, God, the LORD! He knows! And let Israel know! If this has been in rebellion or disobedience to the LORD, do not spare us this day. – Joshua 22:22

Today's Scripture Reading (April 13, 2025): Joshua 22

I wish every argument in the church started with a statement of our shared belief in God. When I first came over to a Baptist church, I met with a Baptist from the denomination for lunch at a local Boston Pizza, and the first thing he did was start to question what I believed. Immediately, the conversation turned to the difference between Arminian and Calvinistic beliefs. To him, for me to say that I was a Wesleyan-Arminian was the same as admitting that I wasn't really a Christian. Yet, the dividing line between the two belief systems is relatively small, and it centers around the idea of predestination and whether you have been predestined since birth to heaven or hell by the choice of God. What I didn't tell my new friend was that I am a little uncomfortable with both belief systems because I think both limit human free will. 

Let me put a point on this. I believe that when you got up this morning, you chose what to do next. No one forced you to do something; you decided whether to get up or stay in bed for another fifteen minutes. And you probably made the choice on some relatively flimsy reasoning. Nevertheless, you made the choice.

It was the cry of the Reformation; we want to worship God, but we feel that the church has walked away from him. We believe that God is calling us back. Let us choose to worship God the way we believe God is telling us to worship. The Roman Catholic Church decided to disagree. They argued if Protestants walked away from the Roman Church, there would no longer be a catholic, which means universal, church. The fear was essentially correct; we were losing the idea of a universal church. The Roman Catholics decided that they couldn't afford to take that chance.

A similar argument existed between the tribes of Canaan and those who chose to live on the east side of the River Jordan. There was a desire to remain one and a fear that the river would divide them. For the Roman Catholic Church and the Protestants, the division caused a war between the two sides. The reality is that neither side was willing to realize that we were trying to serve the same God. Accusations began to fly back and forth, and a conflict began that in some areas has never stopped. However, some have recognized wisdom and have recognized the one great truth: Catholics and Protestants are trying to worship the same God.

This idea of the oneness of God is brought forward in Joshua 22:22, although we tend to miss it in the English translation. The NIV says, "The Mighty One, God, the Lord! The Mighty One, God, the Lord!" Admittedly, I like this better than the King James Translation of the verse, which tries to turn it into a bit of a phrase; "The LORD God of gods, the LORD God of gods." But the actual Hebrew of the verse is this: "Yahweh El Elohim. Yahweh El Elohim." What is significant about the phrasing is that they are all words that have been applied to the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. It is almost like the Transjordanian tribes were saying, "We serve one God, no matter what you might call him." A better translation for our generation, although admittedly politically explosive, might be Yahweh, Jehovah, Allah, or even Yahweh, Jesus, Allah, all of which are words that have been applied to the God of Israel within the Christian Church. The word Allah has become troublesome in the contemporary church because of its perceived connection with Islam, even though it is just the Aramaic word for God.

The message should be clear. We serve one God, who is "Yahweh El Elohim." Do not be afraid just because our beliefs might differ in the small things that we are serving a different God. We serve the same God who has breathed life into us and has endowed our lives with purpose.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Joshua 23

"The LORD commanded through Moses that you give us towns to live in, with pasturelands for our livestock." – Joshua 21:2b

Today's Scripture Reading (April 12, 2025): Joshua 21

Prophecy is not always easily understood. It is why we find it easier to say that a prophecy has been fulfilled after the fact than to discern a prophecy that remains anchored solidly in the future. I know many people want to interpret biblical prophecy in a certain way, but I continually teach caution because it may not come true the way you believe it might. 

One of my favorite victims is the prophecy of a coming rapture of believers. While a few passages might speak of this event, one of the main ones arises from Jesus's teaching in Matthew. Jesus makes this comment;

But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left (Matthew 24:36-41).

According to our understanding of the rapture, believers are taken, while the evil or nonbelievers are left behind. The problem is that Jesus didn't say that. In fact, Jesus didn't make any moral judgment on the ones taken or those left behind. Jesus just commented that one would be taken and the other left. What complicates this even further is Jesus's invocation of the days of Noah. In the story of Noah, the revealed story describes the reverse of our idea of the rapture. The evil doers of the day were the ones who were taken; they died. In the story of Noah, the righteous Noah and his family were left behind on the earth; after all, it was the reason that Noah built an ark. I guess we will have to wait to find out who is left behind in the final days. 

Jacob prophesies over his sons. Two of those sons connected by Dad's prophecies were Levi and Simeon. Jacob prophecies that the descendants of both of these sons would be scattered among the descendants of their other brothers.

Simeon and Levi are brothers—

    their swords are weapons of violence.

Let me not enter their council,

    let me not join their assembly,

for they have killed men in their anger

    and hamstrung oxen as they pleased.

Cursed be their anger, so fierce,

    and their fury, so cruel!

I will scatter them in Jacob

    and disperse them in Israel (Genesis 49:5-7).

We have already discussed the plight of the Tribe of Simeon (check out the April 10, 2025, post on Joshua 19). For Simeon, the scattering was largely negative; the tribe appears to have disappeared among the other tribes. But it was a positive scattering for the Levites, like putting salt on food. The Levites would be scattered among the tribes so that the essence of God would remain present among all of Israel.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Joshua 22

Any of the Israelites or any foreigner residing among them who killed someone accidentally could flee to these designated cities and not be killed by the avenger of blood prior to standing trial before the assembly. – Joshua 20:9

Today's Scripture Reading (April 11, 2025): Joshua 20

Life is sacred, all of it. No one is beneath notice or less important; life should come with a sense of equality.  Christian missions are built on that one idea. No matter where you are and regardless of what you believe, you are valuable. Some oppose even the idea of capital punishment on the single idea that all life is sacred and irreplaceable.

Israel had capital punishment in their law. To be fair, we need to recognize that all societies did. Capital punishment was often class-based in the neighboring nations of that time. So, the rich were seldom executed, but the poor had a higher incidence of execution. The value of life had a lot to do with the class you held within the culture. Nothing seems to have changed in our contemporary areas where capital punishment is used as a deterrence to crime.

And this is where Israel was different. Class didn't matter. In opposition to the common thought of the time, even citizenship didn't matter. All life was equal and sacred. However, the family of the person murdered often carried out capital punishment and not the State. So, the question that arises is what happens if the killing is accidental. So, God provided for cities of refuge that people could run to and in which they could live, a place where capital punishment couldn't be carried out, at least not until a judge had decided the culpability of the perpetrator.

Sometimes, what we miss when we read passages like this is that the cities of refuge were in themselves a jail. If you killed someone accidentally, you couldn't be executed in a city of refuge.

However, all life was still sacred, so there was still a price to be paid. This meant that while your life was safe, it was only secure as long as you stayed within the city, 

I read a book recently (okay, it was "Plague Ship" by Clive Cussler), and in Cussler's fictional story, at one point, the characters had to put on a hazmat suit. The instructions they were given were that they needed to move carefully and preplan their moves. If you tear the suit because you failed to think ahead, you are in trouble and have no one to blame but yourself. Clive Cussler was actually giving great advice for life. All life is sacred, so preplan your moves carefully because even if you don't kill someone, you don't want to tear relationships throughout your life, even accidentally. Capital punishment may not be the consequence of torn relationships, but there is a penalty to be paid for all of our sins.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Joshua 21

Originally Published on July 23, 2010

Personal Note: Happy Birthday to my sister, Cheri. 

The second lot came out for the tribe of Simeon according to its clans. Their inheritance lay within the territory of Judah. – Joshua 19:1

Today's Scripture Reading (April 10, 2025): Joshua 19

I was recently reading about the Russian colonization of America. Most of us probably know about the purchase of Alaska by the United States from Russia in 1867 (the same year that Canada became a nation). We are probably unaware that the hope of Russia went much deeper than just Alaska. The original plan was to take all of Western America in the name of Russia. The most publicized areas of Russian colonization were in Alaska and Fort Ross in Northern California. The etymology behind the name "Fort Ross" is derived from the root word for Russia, so the Californian ethnic heritage site could be called Fort Russia. The intention was to take the Western Territory from Alaska, down through the Westernmost Canadian Provinces and the Northwestern States to California and Fort Ross. It is a forgotten moment in North American History, and it is an interesting "what if" scenario to wrestle with for all of us who currently live in the Western portion of the continent. Maybe we could have been Russian if things had played out just a little differently. 

The tribe of Simeon is often mentioned as one of the lost tribes of Israel, but the reality is that that might not be true. Maybe instead of the "Lost Ten Tribes of Israel," we should discuss the "Lost Nine." The reality is that Simeon may have disappeared very early in the history of Israel. Judah completely surrounded the Tribal land of Simeon, and the warriors of Simeon were invited to join with Judah in securing its boundaries. The act made sense because if Judah were secure, then Simeon would also be. 

However, the Tribe of Simeon is not included in the Song of Deborah in Judges, often thought to be one of the earliest sections of the Tanakh to be written down. There seem to be two possibilities as to the disappearance of Simeon. The most likely solution, at least to me, is that Simeon quickly became absorbed into the tribe of Judah. Just as the warriors of Simeon co-mingled and fought beside the warriors from Judah, the people began to mix until the border between Judah and Simeon simply disappeared.

The second possibility is that the tribe migrated north and joined with the Tribes of Israel. Like Russia's attempt to colonize North America, Simeon moved in among the territories of the north until the tribe was scattered among the Northern tribes, and the original land was abandoned. Which possibility is correct? We might never know the answer to that question, but we do know that Simeon eventually disappeared from the pages of history, even if they weren't part of the missing tribes from Northern Israel. 

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Joshua 20

Appoint three men from each tribe. I will send them out to make a survey of the land and to write a description of it, according to the inheritance of each. Then they will return to me. – Joshua 18:4

Today's Scripture Reading (April 9, 2025): Joshua 18

I admit that I love to read. In fact, I am a bit of a throwback. I prefer reading to seeing a video or listening to audio, although I admit that I do both of those things. Lately, I have established a bit of a bedtime ritual. First, I read something. It is usually a piece of fiction. I have several authors that are a bit of a guilty pleasure. I like to read thrillers, action, or science fiction. After I have read for a while, I usually listen to something. Usually, it is something either historical or political in nature. Among some of my most listened-to podcasts are The Rest is History, The Rest is Classified, Empire, and The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart. But I think I still prefer to read. 

Literacy rates have long been a symbol of a civilization's technological advancement, although that might be changing. As technology increased, so did the need to read, which probably makes sense as they passed knowledge down from generation to generation. We needed to understand what had been done before to build on that knowledge, and the easiest way to do that was to read. However, there was a marked difference in reading ability between the different classes. The overall literacy rate was around 80% in the pre-civil war South. However, among the slaves of the South, the literacy rate is estimated to have been between 10 to 20%. That meant that if you were white, you could likely read. But if you were a black enslaved person, reading was not a skill necessary for societal or personal survival.

Joshua instructs the men from the various tribes to go and survey the land, then return and "write a description." The behavior makes so much sense to us that we don't even question it. But a generation earlier, these men had been enslaved. Some scholars have remarked that the Hebrew people's literacy level must have been high. But that doesn't make sense. Not really. There was no reason for Egypt to educate their slaves. 

Moses likely knew how to read. He had grown up in the palace and shared an education with the nation's princes. Maybe a few others were educated enough to read. But it is not likely that many were literate. But that didn't mean that it was something that couldn't be taught. 

As the leaders of the various tribes were groomed for leadership, it seems likely that reading and writing were on the agenda. Those who were literate began to teach at least some people the magic of writing, so as they came into the land, these men could write down what they saw, and a record was maintained that could be passed down to the next generation.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Joshua 19

The people of Joseph said to Joshua, "Why have you given us only one allotment and one portion for an inheritance? We are a numerous people, and the LORD has blessed us abundantly." – Joshua 17:14

Today's Scripture Reading (April 8, 2025): Joshua 17

As Donald Trump opened up his second term as President of the United States, and while he had campaigned on promises to end the wars in which the United States was fighting in Ukraine and Israel, he also began to pick fights with other nations. A couple of the most publicized fights were with the Kingdom of Denmark over the fate of Greenland, a territory of Denmark, and Panama over the fate and control of the Panama Canal, an artificial waterway constructed between 1881 and 1914 that provides a shortcut between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. President Trump did not guarantee that he would not resort to military means to achieve both of these objectives.

The one fight President Trump has said he will not resort to military means to obtain concerns the taking of Canada, the northern neighbor of the United States. To take Canada, Donald Trump argues that he will use economic means to crush any Canadian resistance until Canada becomes the 51st State of the United States. 

However, if Canada does resist uniting with its southern neighbor, Donald Trump does have a second agenda. He has already called into question several Treaties that have defined the border between the two nations, although he has never stated precisely what about the boundary he finds offensive. I have wondered if President Trump would prefer to have the border limited to the 49th parallel, making Toronto and Southern Ontario, along with a portion of the Maritime provinces, and the southern portion of Vancouver Island, along with the British Columbia Capital of Victoria, a part of the United States. Others have suggested that President Trump may settle for the resource-rich Western Canadian Provinces if he can't have all of Canada. The border treaties of the last centuries might have been sufficient then, but now the United States needs more area and resources to secure its future. President Trump reiterated that he doesn't need Canada, but that isn't true. Canada has been an essential partner in several American projects in recent history.

For Canadians, it feels like the northern nation is becoming to the United States what Ukraine is to Russia. Canada and the United States share a lot of ancestry and have heavily intermarried over the years. However, that does not mean the two nations would easily blend into one. They also share very different values that neither wants to lose, differences that make both nations unique. 

In Israel, some of the same struggles came into view over the allotment of land. The land was divided by lots, which the people believed allowed God to speak into the division. And maybe it is impressive that most tribes seemed to accept the land as it was divided. But apparently, the tribes of Joseph were not content with their allotment. Maybe it was because Joseph was from their clan that they felt safe to complain; perhaps they even believed that Joseph should show some favoritism to his tribe. 

However, there were two competing factors about the land that we should understand. First, there was ample land for the tribes of Joseph, and the land given to them was among the most fertile places in Canaan. All of this was beneficial to the tribes of Joseph. It was also the same land mass on which the enemies of Israel were deeply entrenched and would be the most difficult to remove. On one hand, the land was precisely what the tribes needed. On the other hand, there was still much work to do on the land, and the tribes of Joseph knew that they would have to work hard to secure the land. 

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Joshua 18

So Manasseh and Ephraim, the descendants of Joseph, received their inheritance. – Joshua 16:4

Today's Scripture Reading (April 7, 2025): Joshua 16

I know that I need to be so careful about the things that I say. Part of my problem is that I often find myself saying things I know I should not say. And the things that have been said just cannot be unsaid. These words become a part of our reality, and because they are part of our reality, they begin to shape our future. What hurts is knowing that I shape my world with my words, even when I am wrong.

Joseph had died long before he stopped breathing, and his life came to an end. His brothers sold him into slavery, and then they went to their father and told him that Joseph was dead. His dad mourned the loss of his beloved son and, for years, lived believing that only eleven of his twelve sons had survived into their midlives. It was a reality that shaped him; the loss of Joseph changed Jacob at the core of his being. And he would never be the same again. Even when Joseph would later be revealed as being still alive, the change and the reality of a Dad's pain could not be taken back. The pain Dad had suffered was a reality, and nothing could reverse it.

But neither would Israel. Jacob blesses each of his sons when he dies, although I am not sure he realizes the full extent of his actions. All of his sons' names would be attached to a tribe of Israel, except for one. The missing name among the tribes would be Joseph's, the son Jacob had long believed was dead. Instead of having Joseph's name attached to a tribe, two of Joseph's sons' names, Manasseh and Ephraim, would be remembered. With that move, Joseph, the second youngest of Jacob's sons, would receive the coveted double-portion inheritance from his father, which would typically have been given to the oldest son. 

While Joseph's name may not be found among the tribes, his influence was front and center because Joshua, the man responsible for shaping the young nation, was one of his descendants. Joshua was of the tribe of Ephraim, and through him, Joseph continued to be still very much alive long after his death.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Joshua 17

Then it ran up the Valley of Ben Hinnom along the southern slope of the Jebusite city (that is, Jerusalem). From there it climbed to the top of the hill west of the Hinnom Valley at the northern end of the Valley of Rephaim. – Joshua 15:8

Today's Scripture Reading (April 6, 2025): Joshua 15

Jerusalem. The City of David has a rich history. Today, the city is in the possession of Israel. Still, it is also divided between three faiths that consider the city to be holy: Judaism, Islam, and Christianity all lay some claim on the city. Temple Mount, where the first and second Temples once existed, is in the control of Islam. While Islam has a significant religious and historical connection with the mountain, Judaism considers the Temple Mount to be holy but is prohibited from actual worship on the hill. Other sacred places in the Holy City would include the Mount of Olives, a ridge that runs down the city's eastern side of the city and the place where Jesus is believed to have ascended into heaven. Today, the Mount of Olives is the home of a vast Jewish graveyard containing over 150,000 graves.

Golgotha, the hill where Jesus is believed to have been crucified, is another hill just outside Jerusalem's walls. The traditional identification of Golgotha is located within the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. The conventional identification of this hill as Golgotha was made by the mother of Constantine, the Roman Empress Helena. Helena had visited Jerusalem in 325 C.E. and identified this place as the Golgotha of the Gospel Story.

While Jerusalem is important to three very different cultures in our contemporary world, it also sits on the border between Israel and an area known as"The West Bank." The West Bank currently exists under a provisional Palestinian government. The West Bank is an essential part of "The Two State Solution" to the ever-present conflict in the Middle East. The fact that three religions claim Jerusalem and the idea that the city exists on the border between Israel and the West Bank has kept Jerusalem from reprising its role as the Capital City of Israel. And so, Tel Aviv remains the capital while the City of David remains a place of pilgrimage.

From the dividing line described in this passage, we recognize that Jerusalem has always been a border city; in ancient times, it would have sat on the border between two tribes, while sitting in Judah, the Tribe of Benjamin lies just outside the city walls. The Judean city added to the reality that Judah also sat on the border of three enemy kingdoms: the Philistines bordered Judah along the west side of the nation, Moab to the east, and Edom to the south. All of this meant that Judah was in a place of great responsibility and great danger. This position of Judah was echoed by the placement of what would become the nation's capital: Jerusalem. 

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Joshua 16

Their inheritances were assigned by lot to the nine and a half tribes, as the LORD had commanded through Moses. – Joshua 14:2

Today's Scripture Reading (April 5, 2025): Joshua 14

Lotteries have a long and rich history. They seem to have arisen as a way to support public projects financially. It is rumored that even the Great Wall of China was built and paid for via an ancient form of the lottery. The lottery, as we know it, appears to date back to the 1400s. A record from the city of Sluis in the Netherlands indicates that on May 9, 1455, a lottery was held, with the winner taking home the equivalent of almost $200,000 in contemporary currency: 1737 florins. The money raised through the lottery was used to build walls for the city and other town fortifications. By the 1600s, it was common for lotteries to be organized in the Netherlands to help people experiencing poverty and raise funds for a wide range of public projects. 

The lottery that was performed in Canaan to divide up the area was a little different. Rabbis believe that twenty pieces of property were used for this lottery. First, the land was divided into ten separate areas, and each region was assigned a number. This number was then placed onto the ten pottery pieces and put in a container. The second group of ten pottery pieces was taken, and the name of a tribe was placed on each pottery piece, which was then placed in a separate container. (Important note: the number of tribes was ten because the tribes of Reuben and Gad received their inheritance on the east side of the Jordan River.) At the time of the lottery, a number was withdrawn from the first container and a name from the second container. The two were combined, and the land was assigned to each tribe.

However, rather than being a game of chance, the people believed that, in this way, the decision of who got which parcel of land was given to God rather than to a priest or even the leaders themselves.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Joshua 15

But to the tribe of Levi he gave no inheritance, since the food offerings presented to the LORD, the God of Israel, are their inheritance, as he promised them. – Joshua 13:14

Today's Scripture Reading (April 4, 2025): Joshua 13

I spoke to him over the phone. To be blunt, I had heard very little that was good about the man. He had led a church for almost a quarter of a century and had built the physical church where the church continued to meet. He was the originator of an unparalleled music ministry during that era. Part of that directly resulted from the physical church he had built; the acoustics were terrific and intentional. 

When I spoke to him, the church was preparing to celebrate a significant anniversary, and I wanted to hear his stories about the over two decades that he had led the church. One church leader had laughed when I suggested that I was thinking about phoning this pastor. He had one sentence to sum up my intention. "Why would you spend time talking to someone so insignificant in the history of the church?" However, I couldn't get my head around the twenty-four years the pastor had spent leading the church and the word "insignificant."

I went ahead with my phone interview and heard the story of what happens when a church goes wrong. We talked about his last days at the church. The campaign that this church leader, who had called this pastor insignificant, had waged against him. He told me about being kicked out of the church-owned home where he had lived and raised his kids for over two decades. We talked about his last trip to the church on the day he left the city, sitting in the church's parking lot with his car packed with all his worldly possessions but with nowhere to go. And I couldn't imagine the pain that existed in that car on that day. 

The priests and Levites were to receive no land inheritance. Yes, they would receive some land around the Levitical cities where they would live, but nothing more. The idea was that the Levites would receive the offerings which were brought into the Temple. And that system worked as long as the people followed the instructions of God. The problem was that, for long periods, the people refused to bring their tithes into the Temple. And it was the priests and Levites who paid the price. Like my new friend, they were left on the outside with not enough to live on and nowhere to go. It was and continues to be a sad narrative about the plight of these servants of God who sacrificed much to minister to the people. The story of my friend is one that remains in my memory as a cautionary tale about what happens when we lose sight of the task with which God has charged us and allow personal feelings to lead us instead of the will of God. 

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Joshua 14

The king of Jerusalem – one, the king of Hebron – one. – Joshua 12:10

Today's Scripture Reading (April 3, 2025): Joshua 12

Over the past few years, I have been trying to knock off some of my essential reads. Last summer (2024), I finally read Charles Dickins's "A Tale of Two Cities." The story is set before and during the French Revolution in London and Paris. It is a look at the conditions that set the stage for the French Revolution and an examination of one person who had spent eighteen years in the Bastille. This person is finally released into society and seeks to leave Paris for a life in London with his daughter. Of course, the situation of these two historical cities is contrasted in the novel.

The author of Joshua lists over thirty cities defeated by Israel when they entered Canaan. But not all of these cities were equal. Enter two of the most important cities in ancient Canaan: Jerusalem (also called Jebus) and Hebron. The two cities are listed together here, and while the contrast between the cities is likely unintentional, there is a comparison between the two places. Joshua defeated the kings of both important cities, but only one city fell: Hebron. Hebron was located about 40 km south of Jerusalem. 

During the time of Joshua, both cities were ruled over by Amorite Kings. Both cities also, for a time, served as the Capital city of Israel. Joshua defeated both of these Kings in a battle fought in defense of the Gibeonites, a war that Israel was forced to engage in only because they had entered into an ill-timed diplomatic treaty with the city. The Kings of Jerusalem and Hebron, as well as the kings of Jarmuth, Lachish, and Eglon, decided to move against Gibeon. The Gibeonites sent word to Joshua and requested help. "So Joshua marched up from Gilgal with his entire army, including all the best fighting men" (Joshua 10:7). 

Adoni-Zedek was the King of Jerusalem, and Hoham was the King of Hebron. When the battle was over, all five kings hid in a cave. Israel sealed the cave entrance while they mopped up the rest of their armies and then returned and arrested the kings. At that time, Joshua executed all five kings. However, the defeat of these five kings took place outside of their cities. The Kings died, and their armies were defeated, but there was no effort to take control of the cities they represented. Concerning Jerusalem and Hebron, Hebron fell to Caleb a little later as he worked to clear the area for the tribe of Judah. But Jebus, Jerusalem, survived not just during the days of Joshua and Caleb but throughout the Judges era and King Saul's reign. It wasn't until the reign of David that the city finally came under the control of Israel. Joshua had defeated the King of Jerusalem hundreds of years earlier but hadn't taken the city. As a result, Jerusalem remained a thorn in the side of Israel until David took the throne and made the city his own.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Joshua 13

So Joshua and his whole army came against them suddenly at the Waters of Merom and attacked them. – Joshua 11:7

Today's Scripture Reading (April 2, 2025): Joshua 11

It was codenamed "Operation Overlord." In the West, we have all heard of it, yet we probably don't understand how much of a longshot the battle was. Until the last moment, military officials were not even sure that the operation would take place. But it did, although the cost was high. Among the allies alone, Operation Overlord resulted in almost 250,000 casualties, and over half of that number were military personnel from the United States. 

If you are still unsure what I am talking about, "Operation Overload" was the codename for the Normandy landings in June 1944. The problem was that the Western Allies had lost all footholds on the European continent. They needed to gain not just a foothold back onto the continent but also a way to resupply troops fighting in the European Theater. Adolf Hitler knew they would have to attempt something and had wanted to build his "Atlantic Wall" along the coast, but a lack of concrete and human resources meant that most of that wall never got built.

Still, the Normandy Landings were a longshot. The Allies had to dedicate all of their resources to the attempt. It just didn't make any sense not to. To accomplish anything, they had to win on the Atlantic Coast. And so, it was time to risk everything to try to gain that foothold.

The Kings of Canaan decided it was time to unite and fight against Israel. It was an all-or-nothing moment, and they had agreed to go with the all. They gathered their troops and then began to plan their attack on Israel. The coming battle would be another faith test for Joshua. God told Joshua that Israel would win, so Joshua decided not to delay the fight. He surprised his Canaanite opposition in two ways. First, Joshua attacked quickly. The Kings weren't expecting the rapidity of this attack. Second, Joshua committed all of his forces to the battle. If Joshua had lost, Canaan would have been lost to Israel. The rest of the nation would have been driven to the other side of the Jordan River and would have no foothold on the west side of the Jordan, making the defense of Canaan for these Palestinian Kings an easier task. Joshua trusted God and dedicated all his forces in this battle.

The phrase "His whole army" should be taken to mean not only that all of the forces of Israel were dedicated to the battle but that there was political unity in the nation. The coming battle was not just a statement of faith by Joshua but a statement that was echoed by the whole country.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Joshua 12

The Gibeonites then sent word to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal: “Do not abandon your servants. Come up to us quickly and save us! Help us, because all the Amorite kings from the hill country have joined forces against us.” – Joshua 10:6

Today's Scripture Reading (April 1, 2025): Joshua 10

Joshua’s heart must have sank when he received this message. Experts agree that this was a test of the treaty. While Joshua was trying to get a foothold in this new territory, his armies were now being drawn into somebody else’s war. And he didn’t have the human resources for this distraction. However, the worst was that he had nobody to blame for his current predicament besides himself. God had told him not to make a treaty with these people. Just don’t do it. And Joshua – well, he had made the treaty. He had done it. It was his fault.

Here is the reality of most of the things happening in our lives. Most of the bad stuff we struggle through doesn’t happen out of the blue. It happens because we have done something. I look back at the stuff that has happened in my life, and the truth is that I get to stand up and say, “Yep, I did that.” I suffered through that moment because of something that I did. I don’t have the privilege of trying to tell myself that these things happened because of something that someone else did. The vast majority of the bad things that happened in my life have happened because of my actions. Me. No one else. And the truth is that in the darkness of the night, all of these things come rushing back. I don’t think that I am alone. How far back do you have to go before you come to a moment when, if you are being honest, you received exactly what you deserved? Most of the monsters that I fear are of my creation.

One famous Bible story takes place on the Sea of Galilee. The disciples have gotten into this ancient boat and have tried to make the crossing of the Sea of Galilee for no other reason than because crossing the Sea was much easier and faster than trying to walk around it. The problem was that storms often came up fast on big lakes. The bottom of many large inland lakes is littered with ships, not because the area is filled with stupid ship captains but because storms come up fast. Storms come up fast on the Sea of Galilee. If the benefit of crossing the Sea of Galilee is that it saves time and effort, the bad is that if a storm comes up while you are out there, you are in trouble. I mean, if a storm comes up while you are walking around the outside, you will find shelter, and everything will be okay. There is no hiding place when a storm comes up on open water.

The disciples are in a boat, and a storm comes up while they are on the open water, and there is no place to hide. They are in trouble. The apostles are working hard at the oars but they are going nowhere. And then, suddenly, out of the mist, they see a ghost walking across the water, coming right at them. And they are terrified. But then a voice comes out of the storm. We find the story in Matthew 14.   

But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”

“Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”

“Come,” he said.

Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus (Matthew 14:27-29).

Can you picture it? The storm was raging, and you see this ghost. Your heart stops. But then you hear a voice. It is a voice you know, saying, “Don’t be afraid; it is just me. And because I am here, there is nothing to fear.” 

Maybe you are in the position of Peter. Perhaps you are even brave enough to answer, “If it is you (and you know it is him), tell me to come to you.” And the word comes back to you: Come. You climb out of the boat. The waves feel weird as they press against your feet. And the wind and mist of the storm whip around you. But you do it. You walk on water. You take that first step and then the second toward Jesus. It is a fantastic moment.

I know you have heard the story before and know it doesn’t end here. But when Peter felt the wind and concentrated on the waves, he became afraid and began to sink, crying out, “Lord, save me” (Matthew 14:30)! Quick question. Whose fault was it that Peter started to sink? Maybe it was Jesus’s fault. He didn’t say enough to prepare him for the experience. I mean, all he said was, “Come.” What kind of prep is that? Maybe Jesus should have said, “Now, Peter, it will feel weird. But you are going to be okay.” 

Or maybe it is simply Peter’s fault. He got a couple of steps in, but then he took his eyes off Jesus and fixated on the wind and the waves. And he began to doubt, and fear began to take over. Peter violated the principle; “What God Originates, God will Orchestrate, If you don’t doubt.” Maybe this should have been the end of Peter. After all, it was Peter’s fault. Nothing has happened in this story, with the exception of the storm, that does not originate within Peter: nothing! Peter doubted, Peter failed, Peter sank beneath the waves, and the world never saw his face again. This adventure on the waves is the end of Peter.

Except, that is not the way that the story ends. “Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. ‘You of little faith,’ he said, ‘why did you doubt’ (Matthew 14:31)? I can almost see the smile on Jesus’s face as he says the words. Peter, you were doing so well. But immediately, Jesus shoots out his hand and catches his friend even though it is Peter’s fault.

The treaty with the Gibeonites is Joshua’s fault, but that doesn’t mean God has left Joshua and Israel. I can almost see God shake his head and smile as he reaches his hand out to Joshua. “It’s okay, Joshua, I got you.”

And he still has us, even when it is our fault.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Joshua 11