One Year Bible Blog: March 21st readings

Numbers 32:

I’m trying to figure out why it was OK for the tribes of Reuben and Gad to choose the land that they would inherit. If I remember correctly from earlier in the book, God told Moses that the amount of land was to be allocated by the size of the tribe, but the location of the land was to be decided by random lot. Reuben and Gad wanted to choose the specific regions that they would get, because it was good for their cows. Moses thought it was a ploy to avoid fighting, but was OK with it as long as they pledged to fight along side the rest of Israel. It just doesn’t make sense to me that God would mete out severe punishment for earlier sins which seemed more a matter of interpretation, while ignoring what appears to me to be a blatant disregard for explicit instructions.

Luke 5

The thing that struck me about this passage was the actions of Peter, James and John. They were so amazed by Jesus apparent ability to call the fish into the nets that they were immediately convinced of his divinity. Obviously fish were a hugely significant feature in their lives. That’s why I think it’s so amazing that, in verse 11, “When they had brought their boats to shore, they left everything and followed him.” It’s sort of like Jesus handing one of us a winning lottery ticket. I don’t know that my response would be to leave it behind to follow him. I’d like to think it would, but I’m not so sure.