Luke 20

Jesus question on HIS authority verse 1- 8

And it came to pass – that on one of those days

as HE taught the people in the temple

and preach the gospel

the chief priest and the scribes

came on him with the elders

and spoke unto HIM – saying

Tell us – by what authority do YOU these things?

or who is he that gave YOU this authority?

And HE answered and said to them

I will also ask you one thing and answer ME

The baptism of John

was it from heaven or of men?

And they reasoned with themselves – saying

IF we shall say – From heaven

HE will say

Why then believed you him not?

BUT and IF we say – Of men

all the people will stone us

FOR they be persuaded that John was a prophet

And they answered

that they could not tell whence it was

And Jesus said unto them

Neither tell I you

by what authority I do these things

Parable of tenant farmers verse 9- 16

Then began HE to speak to the people

this parable

A certain man planted a vineyard

and let it forth to husbandmen

and went into a far country for

a long time

And at the season he sent a servant to the husbandmen

that they should give him of the fruit of the vineyard

BUT the husbandmen beat him

and sent him away empty

And again he sent another servant

and they beat him also and entreated him shamefully

and sent him away empty

And again he sent a third – and they wounded him also

and cast him out

THEN said the lord of the vineyard – What shall I do?

I will send my beloved son

it may be they will reverence him

when they see him

BUT when the husbandmen saw him

they reasoned among themselves

saying

This is the heir – come – let us kill him

that the inheritance may be ours

So they cast him out of the vineyard

and killed him

What therefore shall the lord of the vineyard do to them?

He shall come and destroy these husbandmen

and shall give the vineyard to others

And when they heard it – they said – God forbid

Lesson from the parable verse 17- 19

And HE beheld them

and said

What is this then that is written

The stone which the builders rejected

the same is become the head of the corner?

Whosoever shall fall upon that stone shall be broken

BUT on whomsoever it shall fall

it will grind him to powder

And the chief priests and the scribes the same hour

sought to lay hands on HIM

and they feared the people

FOR they perceived that HE had spoken

this parable against them

Question regarding paying taxes verse 20- 26

And they watched HIM – and sent forth spies

which should feign themselves just men

that they might take hold of HIS words

that so they might deliver HIM

unto the power

and authority of the governor

And they asked HIM – saying

Master – we know that YOU

say and teach rightly

neither accept YOU the person of any

but teach the way of God truly

Is it lawful for us to give tribute

unto Caesar or no?

BUT HE perceived their craftiness-

and said unto them

Why tempt you ME? Show ME a penny

Whose image and superscription has it?

They answered and said

Caesar’s

And HE said unto them

Render therefore unto Caesar the things

which be Caesar’s and unto

God the things that be God’s

And they could not take hold of HIS words

before the people

and they marveled at HIS answer

and held their peace

Sadducees question regarding resurrection verse 27- 40

Then came to HIM certain of the Sadducees

which deny that there is any resurrection

and they asked HIM

saying

Master – Moses wrote to us

If any man’s brother die having a wife

and he die without children

that his brother should take his wife

and raise up seed unto his brother

There were therefore seven brethren

and the first took a wife

and died without children

And the second took her to wife

and he died childless

And the third took her

and in like manner the seven also

and they left no children – and died

Last of all the woman died also

THEREFORE in the resurrection

whose wife of them is she?

FOR seven had her to wife

And Jesus answering said unto them

The children of this world marry

and are given in marriage

BUT they which shall be accounted worthy

to obtain that world

and the resurrection from the dead

neither marry

nor are given in marriage

neither can they die any more

FOR they are equal unto the angels

and are the children of God

being the children of the resurrection

NOW that the dead are raised

even Moses showed at the bush

when he called the

Lord the God of Abraham

and the God of Isaac

and the God of Jacob

FOR HE is not the God of the dead

but of the living

FOR all live unto HIM

THEN certain of the scribes answering said

Master – YOU have well said

And after that they did not ask HIM any question at all

Jesus question regarding Messiah verse 41- 44

And HE

said to them

How say they that Christ is David’s son?

and David himself said in the book of Psalms

The Lord said to my Lord

Sit YOU on MY right hand

Till I make YOUR enemies YOUR footstool

David therefore called HIM Lord

How is he then his son?

Jesus warns disciples regarding Pharisees verse 45- 47

Then in the audience of all the people

HE said unto HIS disciples

Beware of the scribes – which desire to walk in long robes

and love greetings in the markets

and the highest seats in the synagogues

and the chief rooms at feasts

Which devour widow’s houses

and for a show make long prayers

the same receive greater damnation

COMMENTARY:

DAILY SPIRITUAL BREAKFAST: Young Believers

: 21 And they asked him, saying, Master, we know that you say and teach rightly, neither accept you the person of any, but teach the way of God truly (225 “truly” [aletheia] means verily, really, facts that correspond to reality, faithfully, dependability, or uprightness.)

DEVOTION: Watch out for people who are always complimenting you. We find that there was a group of men sent out by the chief priests and scribes to catch Jesus in HIS words. They were sent out to ask questions that might lead to an arrest of Jesus.

They wanted to trick Jesus with their questions.

Jesus knew what they were doing before they did it. HE knew their compliments were fake. They were looking for reasons to kill HIM. They didn’t realize that HE came to die.
Now we have a question of our loyalty to God or our loyalty to our government. In this case, it was the Roman government. They uses the question of whether it was right or lawful for them to pay tribute or taxes to Caesar at the ruler of the nation.

Jesus had them look at a coin and see whose picture was on the coin. It was a picture of Caesar. The answer was simple from that point on. HE told them that God expects what belongs to HIM and Caesar can expect what belongs to him.

We face the same problem today. We have to pay taxes. We have to honor God. Honoring God should be our first priority and HE has promised to never leave us or forsake us. HE has promised to provide for our daily bread. Dependence on God is our way of honoring HIM.

We are to pay our taxes to our government. However, our first loyalty belongs to the LORD always.

CHALLENGE: There are going to be times when our loyalty to the LORD is tested. People are going to compliment us to try to trick us into giving a wrong answer. Pass the test with the help of the Holy Spirit.

DAILY SPIRITUAL LUNCH: Transitional Believers

: 27 Then came to HIM certain of the Sadducees, which deny that there is any resurrection, and they asked HIM, (471 “deny” [antepo] means say against, speak against, to oppose, contradict, to declare untrue, to speak in opposition to, or gainsay.)

DEVOTION: One of the basic teachings of the Word of God is that there is life after death. There are many who will say that we just live our life here on this earth and then we turn to dust and that is it. These people are not believers in Jesus Christ. They think that if they don’t believe in a resurrection it won’t happen. There are some who are cremated to see if God can’t find all their body parts, so HE can’t judge them on judgment day. It is a wrong belief.

This group of individuals called Sadducees is a sect of the Jewish religion that taught that there is no resurrection. They were some of the leading teachers in Jesus day. The Pharisees and the Sadducees were those who make up the ruling body of the Jews called the Sanhedrin.

Just because people are religious and held in high regard doesn’t always make them right in their beliefs. We have the responsibility to check out whatever is taught in our church. We are to go to the Word of God for answers. We are to go to other Bible teachers we trust to see if what someone is teaching is correct. The Holy Spirit gives those who are followers of the LORD discernment to ask questions when there is a doubt regarding a teaching.

The Bible does teach a resurrection. It states that it is appointed unto man once to die and then judgment. We are all going to die. We are all going to be buried. We are all going to be resurrected. Only those who are alive at the coming of Christ will skip this step.

CHALLENGE: Our prayer should be: “Even so come LORD Jesus.”

DAILY SPIRITUAL SUPPER: Mature Believers

: 35 But they which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage. (2661 “accounted worthy” [kataxioo] means value, fit, worth, think suitable, deserving, judged worthy.)

DEVOTION: In Luke 20:35, Acts 5:41, and 2 Thessalonians 1: 5 it is the undeserved gift of salvation which is expressed by kataxioo. (Brown, p. 349) There is a group of individuals who will be judged worthy to enter into heaven.

This group is made up of individuals who follow the LORD. This group is made of those who honor the LORD’S teachings. This group does not include individuals who are religious. This group does not include the Pharisees or the Sadducees. This group does not include those who have blasphemed the Holy Spirit by not choosing to follow Christ. There is only one unpardonable sin and that is rejecting Jesus Christ.

When Jesus is teaching the Sadducees about the resurrection, HE wants them to understand that heaven is not just a continuation of this world. It is a whole new world. It is a world that marriage is not important. It is a world that contains angels. It is a world where worship of God is important. This is a coming world.

Remember Jesus taught about the four soils. Only the last soil contained people who were going to make it to heaven. The first soil included those who rejected Christ. They wanted nothing to do with HIM. The second group, were the ones who were individuals who had no follow-up and ended up being individuals who were ones who practiced license. They didn’t have any guidance on how to live the Christian life. They thought they could live as they pleased and still get into heaven. The third group, were the legalists. They thought that as long as their external relationship looked good they would get into heaven. They attended church. They read their Bible. They prayed. They gave their money to the LORD. Some of them even were preachers. However, there was not the internal change that is necessary to be a follower of Christ. Only the fourth group were genuine followers of the LORD. This group showed their relationship by their actions. Their actions didn’t save them but it showed their relationship was right.

Zaccheus in the last chapter was not saved because he gave money but because his attitude was right. Jesus saw his attitude not only his actions. Actions can be good without the right attitude. Christianity is an internal relationship with the LORD that is manifested with external works. Only the LORD knows the heart.

Are we ready for this world? Are we going to be included in “that world?” Jesus said that there are only a few that will enter into that world. Let’s spread the word!!!

CHALLENGE: Examine your attitude. Are your actions done with the right motivation?

_______________________________________________

: 46 Beware of the scribes, which desire to walk in long robes, and love greetings in the market, and the highest seats in the synagogues, and the chief rooms at feasts. (4337 “beware” [prosecho] means give heed to, take care, pay attention to, to keep on the lookout for, be alert for, consider carefully, or continue to believe)

DEVOTION: One of the facts that the Word of God states is that those who have the responsibility of teaching and preaching have the greater judgment. They have a great responsibility because they are training the next generation in the Word of God.

If those in the pulpit don’t train the next generation correctly they will have to face the judgment of God. Remember that there are two judgments. The Judgment Seat of Christ is for those who are believers in Jesus Christ. They have been given gifts to use in the local church. One of the gifts is pastor/teacher. Those who are genuine believers with this gift will receive a reward for their service. There is a second judgment called the Great White Throne judgment that is for all those who have rejected Jesus Christ. This includes all those who have been in a position of pastor that don’t have the truth of the Word of God in their messages. They will find themselves before this Throne. God will judge them with a greater condemnation that those who didn’t pretend to have the gift of pastor/teacher. They are said to make their converts twofold more a child of hell.

Here we find that there are degrees of punishment in the lake of fire for eternity. It doesn’t seem possible that there could be a lesser degree of punishment in lake of fire but the Bible says there is. It isn’t a longer period of time because all those in the lake of fire will be there for eternity.

CHALLENGE: Make sure you have made a genuine commitment to the LORD. Watch out for false teachers. They will act just like the scribes of old.

_________________________________________________________________

DISCIPLINES OF THE FAITH:

BODY

Chastity (Purity in living)

Fasting (Time alone with LORD without eating or drinking)

Sacrifice (Giving up something we want to serve the LORD)

Submission (Willing to listen to others and LORD)

Solitude (Going to a quiet place without anyone)

SOUL

Fellowship (Gathering together around the Word of God)

Frugality (wise use of resources)

Journalizing (Writing down what you have learned from the LORD)

Study and Meditation (Thinking through your study in the Word)

Secrecy (Doing your good deeds without others knowing but God)

SPIRIT

Celebration (Gathering around a special occasion to worship LORD)

Confession (Tell the LORD we are sorry for our sins on a daily basis)

Prayer (Conversation with God on a personal level)

Scribes like to make long prayers verse 47

Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)

Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)

Temple verse 1

Synagogues verse 46

Chief rooms at feasts verse 46 ______________________________________________________________

DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:

Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)

Gospel verse 1

Moses verse 28, 37

David verse 41- 44

Book of Psalms verse 42

God the Father (First person of the Godhead)

God verse 16, 21, 25, 36-38

Children of God verse 36

Lord verse 37

God of Abraham verse 37

God of Isaac verse 37

God of Jacob verse 37

God of the living verse 38

LORD verse 42

God the Son (Second person of the Godhead –God/man, Messiah)

Teacher verse 1, 21

Preacher verse 1

Authority verse 3, 8

Jesus verse 8, 34

Parable of landowner verse 9- 19

Beloved son verse 13

Master verse 21, 28, 39

Marveled at HIS answers verse 26

Answered question of Sadducees verse 27-

Christ verse 41

David’s son verse 41

Lord verse 42, 44

God the Holy Spirit (Third person of the Godhead – our comforter)

Trinity (Three persons of the Godhead who are co-equal = ONE God)

Angels (Created before the foundation of the world – Good and Evil)

Angels verse 36

Man (Created on the sixth twenty-four hour period of creation)

Power and authority of governor verse 20

Tribute to Caesar verse 22, 24, 25

Enemies verse 43

Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)

Beat servant verse 10, 11

Treat shamefully verse 11

Kill verse 14, 15

Craftiness verse 23

Tempt verse 24

Deny resurrection verse 27

Love greetings in the market verse 46

Devour widow’s houses verse 47

Long prayers for show verse 47

Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)

Teach verse 1, 21

Preach verse 1

Gospel verse 1

Authority verse 2, 8

Believe verse 5

Prophet verse 6

Just verse 20

Way of God verse 21

Resurrection verse 27, 33

Children of God verse 36

Children of the resurrection verse 36

Israel (Old Testament people of God)

Chief priests verse 1, 19

Scribes verse 1, 19, 39, 46

Elders verse 1

Baptism of John verse 4

John a prophet verse 6

Spies verse 20

Sadducees verse 27

Moses verse 37

Abraham verse 37

Isaac verse 37

Jacob verse 37

David verse 41, 42, 44

Church (New Testament people of God)

Disciples verse 45

Last Things (Future Events)

Heaven verse 4, 5

Resurrection from the dead verse 35

Children of resurrection verse 36

Scribes receive greater damnation verse 47

_________________________________________________________________

DONATIONS:

Remember that all donations to Small Church Ministries are greatly appreciated. The treasurer will send a receipt, at the end of the year unless otherwise requested. Please be sure to make check out to “Small Church Ministries.” The address for the treasurer is P.O. Box 604, East Amherst, New York 14051. A second way to give to the ministry is through PayPal on the website: www.smallchurchministries.org. Also, if you can support this ministry through your local church please use that method. Thank you.

______________________________________________________________

QUOTES regarding passage

45–47 Having responded with such authority to his opponents’ controversial questions, Jesus now comments on those who sought to disprove his authority. His incisive portrayal of them here is shorter than in 11:37–52. Here he stresses their pride and ostentation, as well as accusing them of taking advantage of widows. Apparently they misused their responsibility as legal arbiters (cf. 12:13 and comment) and betrayed the financial trust innocent widows placed in them (of J.D.M. Derrett, “ ‘Eating up the Houses of Widows’: Jesus’ Comment on Lawyers?” NovTest 14 [1972]). (Leifeld, W. L. (1984). Luke. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Matthew, Mark, Luke (Vol. 8, p. 1018). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.)

________________________________________________________________

20:45–47. Jesus’ words were designed not only to teach His disciples but also to instruct the crowds (v. 45). Jesus pointed out the dichotomy between what the teachers of the Law taught and what they practiced. Their lives were bound up in greed and pride—they desired: (a) display (flowing robes), (b) attention (greeted in the marketplaces), (c) prominence (important seats in the synagogues and … at banquets), and (d) more money, taking from those who did not have much (e.g., widows). Their pompous lengthy prayers were thus hypocritical. Jesus stated that these teachers would be punished most severely. Those who have greater knowledge are held more accountable (James 3:1). (Martin, J. A. (1985). Luke. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 2, p. 256). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)

______________________________________________________________

Then Jesus publicly warned the crowd against the scribes. They wore long robes, affecting piety. They loved to be called by distinguished titles as they walked through the marketplaces. They maneuvered to get places of prominence in the synagogues and at banquets. But they robbed defenseless widows of their life savings, covering up their wickedness by long prayers. Such hypocrisy would be punished all the more severely. (MacDonald, W. (1995). Believer’s Bible Commentary: Old and New Testaments. (A. Farstad, Ed.) (p. 1446). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.)

______________________________________________________________

“Then in the audience of all the people He said unto His disciples, Beware of the scribes, which desire to walk in long robes, and love greetings in the markets, and the highest seats in the synagogues, and the chief rooms at feasts.” They took their places as the religious leaders of the people. The Lord knew that many of them were downright hypocrites: they devoured widows’ houses, and for a show they made long prayers. Many of them were money-lenders, who would take mortgages on the homes of widows at exorbitant interest, so that the poor women would have great difficulty in keeping up their payments; and then when they got in arrears these hypocrites would foreclose the mortgages and take everything from the helpless widows. Was not that legal? Yes; it was legal according to man’s laws. But many things were legal according to man’s law which were absolutely illegal according to the law of God, who had forbidden the very practices of which these hypocrites were guilty. Imagine one of these extortioners foreclosing on a widow’s home on Friday night, and on the Sabbath standing up in the synagogue and making a long prayer! It may well speak to us today. God give us to be consistent, that our lives may answer to our profession, that we may be real in public and in private, as real before God in our business as in the affairs of the Church of God. The Lord said, “The same shall receive greater damnation.” The day is coming when the Lord will deal with all hypocrites. Such hypocrites are found among those who profess Christianity, and many make this an excuse for rejecting Christ. But it does not alter the fact that if you are not saved at last you will have to answer for your own sins in the day of judgment. How much better to get right with God now than to wait until that day when He will judge every man according to his works! (Ironside, H. A. (1947). Addresses on the Gospel of Luke. (pp. 611–612). Neptune, NJ: Loizeaux Brothers.)

_____________________________________________________________

Ver. 46. Beware of the Scribes, &c.] And also of the Pharisees; for they are joined together in Matthew: which desire to walk in long robes: the rule for the length of a scholar’s garment was this; “his flesh must not appear under his garments, as the light linen garments, and the like, they make in Egypt; nor must his garments be drawn upon the ground, as the garments of proud men, but must reach to his heel, and his glove must reach the top of his fingers.” According to this rule, the garments of the doctors were to be so long as to cover the whole body, even down to their heels, but were not to be any longer; and by this it appears their garments were very long; but they did not always go by this rule; some had their garments so long as to have a train after them; see the notes on Matt. 23:5. and love greetings in the markets; or in courts of judicature; they loved to be saluted with the titles of Rabbi, Master, and the like: and the highest seats in the synagogues; which were next to the place where the book of the law was read and expounded, and where they might be seen by the people: and the chief rooms at feasts; the uppermost; see the notes on Matt. 23:6, 7. (Gill, J. (1809). An Exposition of the New Testament (Vol. 1, pp. 698–699). London: Mathews and Leigh.)

___________________________________________________________

FROM MY READING:

Wherever and whenever agencies of government demand an uncritical obedience, and absolute loyalty to governmental acts or policies is demanded and enforced, so that the individual conscience is breached and overridden, there we see a renascence of the imperial cult. It is in the nature of power to seek to become absolute. Thus, emperor worship is not a dead issue even today. Lively debate is needed among Christians to determine the line at which the state’s demands become more a worship of Caesar than a proper expression of patriotism. That line, once it has been determined, becomes the boundary we dare not cross, for it marks the beginning of the realm of idolatry.

(p. 36, To The Churches with LOVE by A. Stanley MacNair 1960)

_________________________________________________________

2 Timothy 2
Paul uses the metaphors of a soldier, athlete, farmer, and worker to encourage Timothy.
INSIGHT

In our hard-driving society, gentleness is almost a lost commodity. Not only is it rarely honored, but it is also often thought of as being undesirable. Yet Paul instructs Timothy that the “servant of the Lord must . . . be gentle” (v. 24) and that our gentleness may help others repent from sin. Jesus said, “Blessed are the meek (the gentle)” (Matthew 5:5). Gentleness is not a word which suggests weakness or impotence. It is used of powerful war horses who have been skillfully trained to instantly obey their masters. It is a word which suggests power under complete control. It offers much. (Quiet Walk)

__________________________________________________________

MORALITY AND CONFORMITY

Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit. 1 John 4:13
We are reminded here of the nature of the Christian life. I am increasingly convinced that most of our troubles arise from the fact that our whole conception of the Christian life tends to be inadequate. I am not referring to people outside the church at the moment, but to Christian people. I speak for myself when I say that there is nothing of which I have to remind myself more constantly than the very nature of the Christian life. We are all the same; the first Christians were the same as well, and that is why the epistles were written. It was because of this constant tendency to think and conceive of the Christian life in an inadequate manner that the apostles were led and moved by God to write their letters with their wonderful instruction.
What is the Christian life? Living as a Christian does not just mean moral living, nor just being good and decent. Of course it includes those things, but that is not the whole of the Christian life. Is it not obvious that there are large numbers of people who think seriously that constitutes the Christian life? There are many people attending morning services in church who say that just because they are not guilty of certain things, they are true Christians. To which I reply, “Hereby we know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit”; then our little morality shrivels into nothing. Morality is essential, but God forbid that we should reduce this glorious life to just a little decency and morality!
Then there are those who think of Christianity just as a matter of religious conformity. But to regard that as the whole of Christianity is to miss the splendor of this great thing that is expounded in the New Testament.
A Thought to Ponder: Living as a Christian does not just mean moral living, nor just being good and decent.

(From The Love of God, pp. 92-93, by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones)

______________________________________________________________

Tears in Heaven
“He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the LORD hath spoken it.” (Isaiah 25:8)
It may be surprising to learn there are tears in heaven, but there are three places in the Bible where we are told that God will wipe away our tears there. This promise appears first in the Old Testament in our text—a text that is quoted in the New Testament as applying to the events of the second coming of Christ. “Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?” (1 Corinthians 15:54-55). The graves will be emptied and death itself will die when Christ comes again! But there will still be those tears, even after death, that God must wipe away.
The other two occurrences are in the last book of the Bible, both again in the context of the return of Christ, “[who] shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.” Finally, in the new Jerusalem, “God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away” (Revelation 7:17; 21:4).
But why should there be tears at all when death has passed away? The Scriptures do not say specifically why, but it seems probable that these may be tears of regret at lost opportunities and tears of sorrow for unsaved friends and loved ones. It does say that in the new earth we shall somehow “look upon” the lost (Isaiah 66:22, 24) and that even some of the saved “shall suffer loss” when their works in this life do not “abide” in the judgment (1 Corinthians 3:13-15). But then, after these tears are shed, God will graciously wipe them away, and there will never be sorrow or crying anymore.

(HMM, The Institute for Creation Research)

___________________________________________________________

DAILY HOPE

Today’s Scripture

Numbers 35-36

God provides for the people He instructs to be stewards of His possessions. I had a professor at Moody Bible Institute that told his students the last thing he would discuss with a church while being interviewed for employment was the financial package. He felt that if God was calling him to a place of ministry, God also knew his family’s necessities.

As we conclude the book of Numbers, we are presented with the ways that God instructed the nation of Israel to care for the Levites and those who oversaw the tabernacle and later the temple. The Levites were assigned 48 cities which were given by the tribes so they could raise their families and pasture the livestock they had accumulated.

The cities were to be a designated size with pastureland surrounding them to accommodate animals. Six of these cities were designated as places of refuge where individuals could go when accidental or innocent blood was shed. Premeditated murder was to receive capital punishment with no sanctuary provided.

The final instructions of the book of Numbers cover tribal inheritance, boundaries and maintaining purity before the Lord. Previously, Manasseh had been confronted by daughters of Zelophehad maintaining the land rights of their father when no sons were in the family (Numbers 27:1-11). Here, it was further clarified the women were to be obedient to the law in order to maintain the ownership of the land within their father’s tribe.

The nation of Israel, disciples, and the churches through the centuries have all experienced God’s oversight of His people. During uncertainty and turmoil, the words of Jesus are a clarion-like promise, “’… I will never leave you or forsake you.’ So we may boldly say; ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?’” (Hebrews 13:7-8). Draw comfort and strength from these promises God freely provides us to claim.

In Expectant Hope, Pastor Miller

We now have a Facebook page for Small Church Ministries – please invite others to join us on Facebook. Thank you. Look for the logo from the devotionals.