Apr 20, 2025
JOSHUA 8-9:
Yesterday the walls of Jericho “came a-tumbling
down” after some skillful trumpet playing while marching around the
city for 7 days. The city was devoted to destruction, meaning that
this was God's judgement upon them, and that everything was to be
destroyed. Right after this amazing victory, Israel learned through
a man named Achan that keeping treasures devoted to destruction
makes oneself devoted to destruction.
PSALM 70:
David pleads in this psalm for help against his
enemies. And this poem is a repetition of the last part of Psalm
40.
ACTS 21b:
Paul, Luke, and the other companions arrived in
Jerusalem. On the way, Paul heard the prophecies that he should not
go to Jerusalem. Once there, he received advice from James and the
others which turned out to be disastrous in the end. Should Paul
have followed the advice he was given by prophecy? My opinion is
that he did the will of God which had already been revealed to him
before those prophecies. In other words, the information in those
prophecies that Paul would be arrested and beaten was from God. The
interpretation that Paul should not go there was added by people,
and Paul was right in not following their advice.
NLT Translation
notes:
Ps. 70:2
May those who [are trying//try] to kill me be humiliated and put to
shame. May those who take delight in my trouble be turned back in
disgrace.
5 But as for me
[now], I am poor and needy; please hurry to my aid, O God. You are
my helper and my savior; O Lord , do not delay.
Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.