READING FOR OCTOBER 2, 2024: NUMBERS 14, ACTS 18, PSALM 104:24-35 NUMBERS 14 Each day we receive reports from various sources, such as cable news, Facebook posts, and just opinions expressed by people like us. How do we decide what to believe and what actions, if any, to take? It’s an issue we all face and one that Israel faced. We must carefully evaluate differing truth claims to determine the right action. Maybe looking at this chapter could give us some clues. All 12 spies agreed that the land was wonderful. Ten spies advised against going into the promised land because of the strength of the people living there, and two spies thought victory was attainable. What would we do?
Just a short time before, God brought Israel out of Egypt through 10 supernatural signs. The entire Egyptian army, the most powerful on earth, was totally destroyed by God with no Jewish casualties. God provided manna and quail in the desert and now guided them with the cloud by day and fire by night. Caleb and Joshua took this into account and observed: “If the Lord is pleased with us, then He will bring us into this land and give it to us—a land which flows with milk and honey. Only do not rebel against the Lord; and do not fear the people of the land, for they will be our prey. Their protection is gone from them, and the Lord is with us; do not fear them” (Num. 14:8-9). If all con-- temporary culture says its right to do one thing, but the God who created the world and ful-- filled His promises throughout history and in our lives says another, trust God. A no brainer.
At the same time, it sometimes costs to follow God against public opinion. Joshua and Caleb barely escaped stoning. We read in Acts Paul was stoned but wasn’t killed; Stephen gave his life for the truth. How willing are we to follow God? Never forget, though, that in the long run it is much better to obey God than rebel against Him. Those who wanted to go back to Egypt and who were over the age of 20 did not make it to the promised land. They wanted to rescind their rebellion, but at some point, God’s just discipline on the nation needed to be enforced. We play a foolish game of eternal Russian roulette if we keep defying God’s word.
Moses’s prayer for mercy for the people was a beautiful model for us. He could have prayed for immediate harsh judgment in legitimate anger at the people’s rebellion against him and God. But, Moses considered what was best for the reputation of God. This should always be our first concern. Moses didn’t bring up a point God hadn’t considered, but God was able to draw out this request from Moses. God granted it, with a caveat about a generational change.
ACTS 18 Here is an interesting moment when the spreading of the Gospel intersected with the Roman Empire. Paul met Aquila and Priscillia (rolls off the tongue) in Corinth. They were deported from Rome due to an edict from the Emperor Claudius to remove the Jews. Paul, whose practice was to stay with residents while visiting a city, stayed with them due to their
READING FOR OCTOBER 2, 2024 CONTINUED: ACTS 18, PSALM 104:24-35 common interest in tentmaking. Again, Paul’s approach continued to be going to the synagogue on the Sabbath to persuade them to believe in Jesus. (What approaches do we utilize to reach our friends and family in Yorktown for Jesus?) The text said Paul devoted himself completely to the Word of God. Maybe we should try this first to support our out- reach. Then as he ran up against resistance in the synagogue, he simply moved his meetings next door and kept teaching. All of a sudden, many Corinthians believed and were baptized. The Jesus appeared to Paul in a vision to encourage him to keep it up because there were more believers in town than was apparent. Paul obeyed and stayed there for over a year.
The befuddled Jews then brought Paul before the Roman administrator, repeating the false charge that Paul was undermining the law. Paul didn’t even get to speak before the proconsul said the charge was bogus and to get out of court.
When Paul finally left Corinth, he added Pricillia and Aquila to his traveling team. When most of us get a haircut, it doesn’t warrant a mention in an email let alone scripture. But Paul’s signaled the completion of a Nazarite vow, which we first read about in Number 6. When Paul stopped in Ephesus, he again went to synagogue to reason with the Jews even though he said in Corinth he would now focus on the Gentiles. This time they asked him to stay longer, but he departed, leaving the rest of his team in Ephesus. He would soon return.
In the meantime, Apollos came to Ephesus. He was a great communicator who used that skill to refute unbelieving Jews. Despite all his greatness, he had some gaps in his knowledge, which Priscillia and Aquila were able to fill. This a wonderful example of a couple with greater knowledge about the Gospel strengthening a fellow worker in the Gospel who had greater giftedness in presenting the Gospel. All for God’s glory. Apollos built upon the Jews’ already existing belief in a Messiah to point to Jesus. Paul built upon the Athenians’ already existing religiosity and poetry to point to Jesus. What can we build upon to point today’s Yorktown neighbors to Jesus? If you have some ideas, please share them with the Leadership Council. PSALM 104:24-35 Be honest for a few seconds. No one else need know, except God who already knows. What is the most interesting topic to us? Ourselves. Right? We are interested in how we feel, what we are going to do, and how we are perceived. The Psalmist asks us, for a few verses, to let your mind go places having no direct bearing on us. Picture the middle of the ocean. Visualize whales and dolphins playing and jumping in the sea mist with great ships in the distance. Now see the mighty mountains God sometimes causes to shake and smoke. “One, two, three, snap out of this daydream.” Why did we do this? Because God made these marvels, cares for them, and rejoices in them. Do we feel more like singing praises to God?
