Saturday, Ordinary 32, Proper 27, Nov 8

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Meditation
Saturday, Ordinary 32, Proper 27 was a step into the world of danger. Every day, somewhere, a headline reads someone was killed. Back in the settlements of the Twelve Tribes, the Lord determined that a person, who accidentally killed someone, should have options. Most people thought if someone killed a family member, then that family should kill the one responsible, but because there were some horrible accidents, where there was no intension or plotting of murder, God said there should be Cities of Refuge or Safety.
The one who accidentally killed someone could flee to the safety of the cities and explain to the people of the city what had happened and once there, they could live their lives in peace until they were properly judged. They could live there until they were judged or until the priest died, at which time they could return home.
It demonstrated God’s grace and mercy, when terrible accidents happened. But the danger was not limited to the accidental killer. The lesson reminded me of the old science fiction TV series Lost in Space, where the robot frantically waved his arms, crying, “Danger, Will Robinson, Danger!”
Christ cried, “Danger!” to the future of the Temple and the world. He forecasted a grim time in which the temple would have been destroyed. But not only the exterior edifices, but the continual erosion of people’s will and resolve to be faithful. There would be so much evil around the world that even believers would lose their faith.
We haven’t begun to see such terrorizing of Christians, but that day will come and we must be prepared, because it will try us more sorely than ever before. But those, who remain faithful will find a great reward for the end will come and Jesus will gather his own to himself.
Thanks be to God.
All Scriptures printed below are in King James Version for copyright purposes. However, clicking on the verse locations will take you to Biblegateway.com where the text is linked to more contemporary versions.
Click on the Scriptures for links to biblegateway.com, where many translations of the same text enhance the understanding the readings, which come from the (RCL) Revised Common Lectionary – Daily Lectionary Readings. I add a Daily Prayer to bless you with God’s Favor.
Enjoy the Daily Encouragement and Bible Study and may you be inspired to be your best self for Ordinary 32, Proper 27.



Prayer: Almighty God, Open my eyes that I might see. Open my mind that I might understand. Open my heart that I might make your words a part of me. May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in your sight. Amen


Ordinary 32, Proper 27
Ancient of Days (Blessing and Honor and Glory and Power) – Phillips Craig and Dean
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Ordinary 32, Proper 27
Bible Readings
http://legacy.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm 78:1-7;Joshua 8:30-35;Revelation 9:13-21&version=KJV;ERV;GNT;NCV;NIV (multiple versions)



Saturday, Ordinary 32, Proper 27
Psalm 78:1-7
Joshua 20:1-9
Matthew 24:1-14

Daily Bible Verses to Memorize for Meditating

Psalm 78:1 King James Version (KJV)
78 Give ear, O my people, to my law: incline your ears to the words of my mouth.





Single Bible Study chapter to study


Joshua 20:1-9
King James Version (KJV)
20 The LORD also spake unto Joshua, saying,
2 Speak to the children of Israel, saying, Appoint out for you cities of refuge, whereof I spake unto you by the hand of Moses:
3 That the slayer that killeth any person unawares and unwittingly may flee thither: and they shall be your refuge from the avenger of blood.
4 And when he that doth flee unto one of those cities shall stand at the entering of the gate of the city, and shall declare his cause in the ears of the elders of that city, they shall take him into the city unto them, and give him a place, that he may dwell among them.
5 And if the avenger of blood pursue after him, then they shall not deliver the slayer up into his hand; because he smote his neighbour unwittingly, and hated him not beforetime.
6 And he shall dwell in that city, until he stand before the congregation for judgment, and until the death of the high priest that shall be in those days: then shall the slayer return, and come unto his own city, and unto his own house, unto the city from whence he fled.
7 And they appointed Kedesh in Galilee in mount Naphtali, and Shechem in mount Ephraim, and Kirjatharba, which is Hebron, in the mountain of Judah.
8 And on the other side Jordan by Jericho eastward, they assigned Bezer in the wilderness upon the plain out of the tribe of Reuben, and Ramoth in Gilead out of the tribe of Gad, and Golan in Bashan out of the tribe of Manasseh.
9 These were the cities appointed for all the children of Israel, and for the stranger that sojourneth among them, that whosoever killeth any person at unawares might flee thither, and not die by the hand of the avenger of blood, until he stood before the congregation.

OBSERVE:

Take a moment and write three observations of the verses. What strikes you? An observation is an observable fact from the Word.
1.

2.

3.

INTERPRETATION:

What do you interpret these verses to mean for you today?




APPLY:

Today, I learned _____________________________________and apply it to my life.


Prayer of Encouragement

Almighty God, thank you for your grace which established Cities of Refuge for the one, who accidentally killed someone. Your grace to us is demonstrated in so many ways and we could not survive without it. Help us to rise above and stand firm in our faith. In Jesus name, Amen



I hope you found a chance to encounter your Creator and experience the Love of God and the joy of Christ in Ordinary 32, Proper 27.
Conclusion
Saturday, Ordinary 32, Proper 27 left the Jews settling into the Promised Land and establishing the rules for day-to-day living, especially when accidents happened. Families, who lost a loved one at the hand of another, would expect to kill the one, who killed their member. But sometimes things were genuinely accidents and God made a provision for that person.
Grace was always possible even back then. Many don’t see the Old Testament as offering much grace, thinking that grace only started with Christ, bt grace was demonstrated repeatedly through the Exodus and the return of the Israelites to their land. God’s grace also warned of the danger of the future.
Christ gave a bleak description of the end times, when the temple would be destroyed; when the lives of the evil grew exponentially; when the lives of believers would be tested so much that many of them would lose hope. It would be a difficult time for them and yet, those who remained faithful would find the end times coming soon and they would be rewarded for their diligence.
The coming of the Lord would bring the evil to justice and reward the saints of the Lord. Keep the faith.
Go out and be ready for God to do mighty things in your life—for the glory of God.*
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*If you do not know the Lord as your personal Savior and you are seeking, please contact me. A genuine and simple prayer, asking God into your heart for the forgiveness of your sins will also do.
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