Duties of the Kohathites

There’s a good reason the book of Numbers is called that: it lists a bunch of numbers. It’s a census of the people of Israel. And there were a lot of people! If you’ve ever seen Cecil B. DeMille’s 1956 epic film “The Ten Commandments” (shown on network television every year since 1973 during Easter/Passover…

Who Hardened Pharoah’s Heart?

Today’s Bible reading* tells us that God hardened Pharaoh’s heart. (Exodus 7:3 and Exodus 4:21 from yesterday’s reading as well as future readings of Exodus 10:1-2, 20, 27, 11:10, 14:4) But in Exodus 8:15, 32, we’re told that Pharaoh hardened his own heart. Several times, we’re told that Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, though we don’t…

Returning to Bethel: The House of God

In today’s Bible reading*, Jacob (now named Israel) returns to Luz, which he had named Bethel (Bethel means House of God). You may remember that previously (Genesis 28), Jacob/Israel had an encounter with God and dreamed of a stairway to heaven with God’s angels ascending and descending the stairway. Jacob/Israel was so moved by this…

Rebekah “Falls” for Isaac

In today’s Bible reading*, we read the story of when Rebekah falls in love with Isaac. The culture of the Twenty-first Century Western World is very different than that of Isaac’s day. Abraham sends his servant to the land of his relatives to find a wife for his “firstborn son” Isaac. Abraham was concerned that…

Come Out and Be Separate

In today’s Bible reading*, John records the fall of Babylon the Great. I won’t go into the theories of what Babylon the Great is. But I will point out the command from God for His people: Come out and don’t participate in the sin of the world. (Revelation 18:4-5) While the rest of the world…