Luke 1:1-25   Luke wanted to know and share the whole story of "the things accomplished among us". He talked to eyewitnesses,  he "investigated everything carefully".. he wrote it all down in "consecutive order".   This man became a close friend and companion to Paul the apostle.  Paul calls him the "beloved physician".  It is thought that Luke was a Gentile.  He gives us the perspective of an educated Greek man who believed that Jesus was the long awaited Messiah.. 

The first thing that Luke included in his investigation was the birth of John the Baptist.  He tells us of Zacharias and Elizabeth. We see that both Zacharias and Elizabeth were descendants of Aaron. Zacharias was of the priestly division of Abijah... one of the 24 divisions established by David.  More than that, they were "both righteous in the sight of God".  At the right time, Zacharias was chosen by lot to "enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense."  As others prayed outside, an angel appeared to Zacharias.  He was given the good news that his barren wife would have a child.. even though they were both "advanced in years." 

Not only would Zacharias and Elizabeth have a child, he would be a very special son and they would call him John.  He would be raised like one under a nazarite vow.. never touching wine or liquor.. but filled with the Holy Spirit.. from before he was even born.  John would serve the Lord in a way that none other could. He would "turn back many of the sons of Israel to the Lord God".. and he would "make ready a people prepared for the Lord." 

Zacharias wanted a sign to know that this would happen and the angel Gabriel called this "unbelief".  But..  Zacharias had a sign that could not be ignored.. he could not speak another word until the birth of his son. Elizabeth conceived and rejoiced in the gift that God granted her.. a son. 

Our Father in heaven, You raise up men and women to serve You now, even as You raised John to serve You back in that day. May we also be messengers of good news, helping others to turn back to You and to help others be prepared for the day that Jesus comes again. May we be continually kept full of Your Holy Spirit that we might fulfill Your purposes in us.. according to Your will and for Your glory.  We ask this in the name of Jesus the Lord, Amen. 

 Numbers 32-36  As the people of Israel prepared to enter the promised land there were a few more things that needed to be established.. 

In chapter 32 we see that the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh asked to receive the land that they were living on in Gilead. They promised to send their soldiers with the rest of Israel, across the Jordan to help the other tribes,  but desired to live in Gilead because of all of their livestock. 

In chapter 33 Moses recorded their complete journey from Egypt to the Promised land, naming every stop along the way.  He also reminded the people that they must drive out all of the inhabitants of this land, destroy all of their idols, and take full possession of the land given to them by the Lord. 

In chapter 34 the Lord gives them instructions for how to decide the portions of land that would be the inheritance of each tribe. 

In chapter 35 the Lord instructs Israel to give portions of land to the Levites and to prepare cities of refuge for the purpose of protecting someone who accidentally killed another... until judgement is made based on the witnesses. 

And in chapter 36 the Lord clarified the inheritance given to  daughters when there were no sons. 

Plans were made. The time was drawing near.  Moses would soon be gone. The people of Israel were as ready as they would ever be to take the land that the Lord prepared for them. The book of Deuteronomy is a history lesson for the people and at the end of it.. we are told of Moses' death.. high on Mount Nebo...where he was able to see all of the land.  The Lord Himself buried Moses who was 120 years old at that time. 

Psalm 66:5-6 "Come and see the works of God, Who is awesome in His deeds towards the son of men. He turned the sea into dry land; They passed through the river on foot; There let us rejoice in Him!"

From the beginning of the journey until the end.. and beyond.. the Lord led His people to the land He had promised to Abraham's descendants.  From the beginning of our own journeys the Lord leads us and His grace sustains us. Even through failures and disappointments.. even through rebellion and faithlessness.. God will accomplish His purposes... just as He did for Israel.  As the psalmists wrote.. we join the voices of the faithful and  "sing praises" to His holy name.. "Come and hear all who fear God, and I will tell of what He has done for my soul." ( Psalm 66:16) 

Father, I praise Your name and thank You for walking with me through the days and weeks and years.. You have never failed to be faithful and kind. Your grace is sufficient.. Your grace is amazing.. Your grace has been lavished on us and we praise You!  Draw us nearer and nearer to Your heart we pray.. that we might walk in Your Spirit and glorify the name of the Lord with every breath... for You are worthy of all our praise! Amen!

 Numbers 31  Midian was a son of Abraham, born to Keturah, Abraham's wife after Sarah died.  Moses had fled to Midian after running from Pharaoh in Egypt.  He married the daughter of Jethro, a priest of Midian. But, here, these many years later, Midian had become allies with Moab.  They were involved in the seduction of Israel leading into idol worship and immorality.  It was a Midianite woman that came into the camp with Zimri, a Simeonite, and brought about a plague.  It was at that time that the Lord told Moses "Be hostile to the Mideanites and strike them; for they have been hostile to you with their tricks, with which they have deceived you in the affair of Peor...." Numbers 25:17-18. 

The Midianites were involved with Balaam, who counseled them "in the matter of Peor" (Numbers 31:16). Because of this the Lord told Moses to send out an army.. 1000 soldiers from each tribe.  So 12,000 Israelites soldiers went to war.  "..they killed the kings of Midian along with the rest of the slain; Evil and Rekem and Zur and Hur and Reba, the five kings of Midian; they also killed Balaam the son of Beor with the sword." ( v8)  All the males were killed and all the women and children were captured.  All their cities and camps were burned.  They brought back a great amount of booty.. animals, goods, gold and silver.. and people. 

When they returned to Moses.. he made them kill all the women who had been "intimate" with a man.. these were the ones who would be involved in idolatry and immorality.  However, they spared all the girls who were still innocent...32,000 of them.  All the male children were killed.  It sounds so brutal to us. Yet, the Lord ordered this for His purposes, knowing the temptations and the struggles that lay ahead for His people. 

All of the booty was split between the 12,000 soldiers, of which none had been lost during the fighting.. and the rest of the congregation.  A portion was levied as a tax from both halves and given to the Levites and Eleazar the priest.  It was a massive amount of sheep, donkeys, cattle, and people... the girls.  After that the men who had gone to war brought another offering, thankful that none of their army had been killed. They brought "articles of gold, armlets, and bracelets, signet rings, earrings and necklaces, to make atonement for ourselves before the Lord." ( v50)

Not quite a pleasant Christmas passage for today.... This is a message about judgement.  The nation of Midian had not only turned away from the Lord.. they had purposely tried to entice Israel from Him too.  The Lord sees what the nations are doing.. He sees what our own nation is doing.  He will judge the nations.  Psalm 46:10 says, "Cease striving and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth."  It is not a matter of if.. but a matter of when.  Zechariah 2:11 says, "And many nations will join themselves to the Lord in that day and become my people.. "  And this becomes my prayer.. 

Lord, may it be that our nation will join herself with You and be Your people!  Let the United States of America come to repentance and exalt the Lord God! Father, we know that You are near to all who call on You.. Hear us we pray and save us. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. 

 Numbers 30  This chapter clarifies the Lord's commands about making vows.  "If a man make a vow to the Lord or takes and oath to bind himself with a binding obligation, he shall not violate his word; he shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth." 

Ecclesiastes 5:4 says this, "When you make a vow to God, do not be late in paying it, for He takes no delight in fools. Pay what you vow!"  

The psalmists speak about keeping vows also: 

 Psalm 116:14 and 17 "I shall pay my vows to the Lord, Oh may it be in the presence of all His people." 

Psalm 66:13 -14 "I shall come into Thy house with burnt offerings; I shall pay my vows, which my lips uttered and my mouth spoke when I was in distress."

Psalm 22:25 "From Thee comes my praise in the great assembly; I shall pay my vows before those who fear Him." 

The King James version says "If a man vow a vow.. "   It is both a verb and a noun.  It means to make a promise and it is the thing promised.  To make a vow to the Lord is to bind yourself before Him to fulfill Your promise.  To "pay" a vow means to make good.. to complete or finish, to fully do what you have promised to do. It is a covenant of peace between the one who fulfills his vow and the One to whom He make the vow.  Whatever vow or promise that you make to the Lord.. you are bound to Him to complete it.. fully.  

The Lord makes another statement about vows.. ".. if a woman makes a vow to the Lord, and binds herself by an obligation in her father's house in her youth.. "  Then.. it is up to her father to either permit or forbid her to keep this vow.  Or if the woman is married it was up to her husband  to either allow her to keep it or to forbid it.  Only a widow or divorced woman is bound by the vow she makes without intervention.  There is a level of protection over a woman.. her father or her husband can annul the vow if necessary.. especially if her vow was a "rash statement of her lips with which she has bound herself." 

Jesus spoke about vows too... "But I say to you, make no oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, or by the earth, for it is the footstool of His feet.. But let your statement be, 'Yes, yes" or No, no'; and anything beyond these is of evil." ( Matthew 5:34-37)   To make a vow or oath or a promise to God and not keep it is a terrible thing.. So terrible that Jesus tells us not to do it at all! 

We probably do this more than we think.  There are times when people are in desperate situations and they make "foxhole prayers".. promising God whatever He desires if He would just rescue them from the present situation.  But.. afterwards they don't ever remember that they made a promise.  This is "evil"  Jesus tells us.  Many, many people have made marriage vows.. before God.. and failed to keep their promises to love, cherish, or stay together as one.. never realizing who they have spurned.. not just a spouse but the Lord God. 

So, what can we learn from this?  Should we never make a promise?  Maybe... but more so, we must learn to be careful of what we say.. our words mean something.  We may not be making a solemn vow.. but we may speak "rashly" or say that we will do something but fail to complete what we said.  The Lord calls us to be people who have integrity and speak truth.. He calls us to have a guard over our tongues and to be gentle and meek.. self-controlled.. so that our words are pleasing in His ears. 

Father in heaven, once again we seek the Holy Spirit to fill us so completely that we might live holy lives of obedience to Your Word.  May the words of our mouths and the meditations of our hearts be pleasing in  Your sight.  Help us to remember that our tongues have the power of life and death ( Proverbs 18:21) and be mindful whenever we speak.  Thank You Lord for Your great patience and grace towards us.. Forgive us for the times we have broken our promises or have spoken rashly.  Cleanse us from all evil we pray, in Jesus' name. Amen, 

 Numbers 28-29   The Lord gives Moses a reminder for the new generation of Israelites as they prepare to enter their new land.. "You shall be careful to present My offerings.. " 

There were daily offerings; Sabbath day offerings; Monthly.. new moon offerings;  offerings for Passover and for the Feast of weeks when the "new grain" was offered.  There were offerings for the feast of Trumpets and the Feast of Unleavened Bread..  These offerings included many bulls, goats,...lambs  who all  were without defect and 1 year old... there was grain offerings and drink offerings included.  All of these were commanded to be kept every year.. plus votive offerings, sin offerings, and freewill offerings as needed or desired.  The purpose of these offerings were to "make atonement" for the people.. to humble them before the Lord.. to honor the Lord by their obedience.. to keep the relationship that He established with His people. 

Every family would be involved in this.. either growing grain or grapes for the wine.. raising sheep and goats and bulls for the sacrifices.. and by keeping the Law.. the Sabbath days and the Feasts.  Every part of their lives would remind them that they needed to prepare for those days of worship.. as they sowed their fields, tended their flocks, or picked their grapes.. 

Later, we know that the people of Israel began to neglect these required offerings and observances.. til it got to the point where the Lord despised them and refused them.  They neglected the relationship with the Lord that was available to them.. forsaking Him.. while half-heartedly walking through the rituals. 

 We can learn from this.. as we do through every part of God's Word.. 

There are times of the year that are special to us as believers in Jesus Christ.. Christmas is a great celebration of the birth of the Lord Jesus. But.... are we in danger of missing the relationship with our Lord in the midst of the rituals? those things we call "traditions"?   We know that Christmas is not about songs or presents or trees or whatever.. but even things like Christmas programs and Advent wreaths can become half-hearted attempts to include Jesus without really connecting with Him.. 

Father in heaven,  may Your Name be hallowed.. kept as Holy.. honored and lifted up.. as we come before You this day.. and during this season we call Christmas. May Your will be done and Your Kingdom come anew in our hearts as we turn our eyes upon Jesus. Fill us, Lord, with YOUR love and joy and peace as we rejoice that a Savior was born.. and that He fulfilled all of the Law and all of the sacrifices for us.. for our atonement from sin.. for our eternal souls.  May we not miss the most important thing about this celebration.. Jesus Christ came for us that we might come to You.  Thank You Father!  Thank You Jesus. Amen 

 Numbers 27:1-12  This section of the chapter deals with inheritances.. one family from the tribe of Manasseh had only daughters.. and they were concerned about having no inheritance since their father had died.  Moses asked the Lord what should happen in this case.  The Lord gave an answer for this particular case and more!  The daughters could inherit from the father if there wasn't any sons; and if there weren't any sons or daughters.. then  the father's brother would receive the inheritance. And, the Lord went even further... if the father had no brothers then the inheritance would go to the nearest relative. 

The last part of this chapter focuses on what would happen next.. Moses would go up the mountain of Abarim, where he would be allowed to look over the promised land.. and there he would die.  Moses had one concern.. who would lead Israel in his place?  The Lord chose Joshua to become the next leader.  He told Moses to bring Joshua before the people and commission him.  Eleazar the priest would take part in this commissioning.  There would be no question of Joshua's authority as Moses did as the Lord commanded. 

Father, You are just and You are Kind!  You are wise and You are perfect in all Your ways.  Whatever problem we have.. we bring to You. When the questions are more than we can handle.. we come to You. Help us to remember that there is nothing too small or nothing too big that You are not aware of or care about.  You see the sparrow fall.. and You see us with doubts and fears and worries.. and You remind us that we can.. we must.. trust in You.  So, once again we bring our cares to You.. cares about loved ones who need to know Jesus; cares about friends who are sick and need healing from Your Hand;  cares about our world and the darkness that threatens to put out the Light.. and we know.. oh hallelujah.. we know that Jesus reigns.. that He is able to save and to heal and to overcome!  We bring praise and thanksgiving to You, Holy Father... for You are just and You are kind and You have a perfect plan for Your people. May Your Kingdom come and Your will be done.. and Your Name hallowed, we pray.. in the Name of Jesus. Amen. 

 Numbers 26  The new generation...are now grown up ... having lived in the wilderness.. as nomads.. and soldiers. The Lord orders Moses and Eleazar to conduct another census of all the males 20 years old and older.  What is interesting to me in looking at these numbers is that some of the tribes grew greater in number than during the first census.. and some were smaller.. notably the tribe of Simeon went from 59,300 to only 22,200.  Altogether the number of fighting aged men went from 603,550 to 601,730.  Pretty close to where they started out.  Verse 64 tells us "But among these, there was not a man of those who were numbered by Moses and Aaron the priest, who numbered the sons of Israel in the wilderness of Sinai."   The Lord said they would all die.. and they did... with the exception of Caleb and Joshua. 

The Lord was preparing His people for their inheritance in the land He was giving to them. When they entered the promised land each tribe would be given a territory divided by lot.  "To the larger group you shall increase their inheritance, and to the smaller group you shall diminish their inheritance; each shall be given their inheritance according to those who were numbered of them. 

Through the years the tribal identity was very important to the Jews.  Even Paul spoke of being from the tribe of Benjamin. We know that Joseph and Mary were from the tribe of Judah.;; giving Jesus the inheritance belonging to that tribe.  He is the "Lion of Judah".  He is the son of David who was also from the tribe of Judah.  It was important to be identified in that way.  I wonder if it still is?  According to the internet.. ( not sure how reliable that is these days)... most do not know unless their family passed down specific traditions.  Most documentation has been lost through the years.. especially during the holocaust.  It also says that those with the last name "Cohen or Kohanim" or "Levy"  may be the descendants of Levi. It says that some of the Ethiopian Jews claim to be descendants from the tribe of Dan. Some Jews in India claim relationship to the tribe of Manasseh. The Lord only knows for sure!

A lot of people have become interested in their heritage.. Ancestor.com or 23 and me have given people an opportunity to search out some idea of where they come from... perhaps to help them know who they really are.  We identify ourselves by our family name.. our parents and grandparents pass down family lore and traditions... and that is important.. but what is most important is to know that the Lord knows us.. He alone knows the truth.. for He has knit us together in our mothers' wombs.. He has written in His book all the days that He has ordained for us.  He searches our hearts and knows what is in us.  He alone sees us as we really are and leads us in His ways.. the "everlasting way"  (Psalm 139)  He knows the number of hairs on our head.. and He cares for us.  The inheritance that He has given us is "imperishable and undefiled"  ( I Peter 1:4) And because of Jesus Christ our Savior and Lord.. we are called His "sons and daughters" Hallelujah !

Father, once again we come to You with praise and thanksgiving!  You know us and love us and we are Yours forever!  Praise the Name of Jesus who has brought us out of darkness and into the Light of Your grace and glory. Amen!