The Daily is Our Resource for Studying God’s Word
In this letter, Paul encourages the Philippians to live as citizens of heaven, to serve God, to serve others, to encourage their faith, and to let them know some news about himself and Epaphroditus. Two key themes are seen in this verse: one being to make spiritual progress, and the other, is that that such progress requires the right spiritual outlook.
Steve Kuzner
In Numbers 33, God instructed Moses, that Israel was to “drive out” the inhabitants of the lands. They are to invade and conquer. And, if they let any of the inhabitants remain, they will “barbs in their eyes and thorns in their sides.” And, God will do to Israel as He ought to do the previous inhabitants if they don’t drive out everyone. Numbers 34 picks up here and God instructs Moses on the boundaries of the lands and the Tribal Chiefs that shall inherit the land. The details can take away from the big picture here—God is specifically defining a promise. It’s a promise He is making. It’s instructions on how to divide up the land before Israel has it. This is important in the grand narrative of the Pentateuch because GOD KEEPS HIS PROMISES. God is faithful.
Steve Kuzner
In this section God is giving the Israelites some laws after having been defeated in battle and pursued by the Amalekites and the Canaanites. Tassels? Why laws about tassels? In most of the ancient world, nobles and other high-class people wore tassels. In contrast, all Israelites wore tassels to mark of their status and duties as God’s chosen people. These tassels were a reminder of God’s commandments, a reminder that they were to NOT FOLLOW AFTER THEIR OWN HEARTS, and to be HOLY—that is, SET APART FOR GOD.
Steve Kuzner
This passage sums up COVID-19 life in America. We certainly long for our old lives like the Israelites longed for their previous lives in Egypt. The Israelites were sick and tired of manna and wanted meat. We’ve been cooped up and want to move freely. God gave them droves of quail to eat and then they were struck with a plague because of their greed. We opened things up in American and then were struck with the five highest days for new COVID-19 cases. Don’t get me wrong here—America is not Israel. But the parallels are eye-opening. What is not happening in this passage is the people drawing toward God and being thankful that they are on the path from slavery to eventually their own land. America is not drawing close to God as a nation. We haven’t been for some time. However, drawing close to God and sharing the Gospel is what America needs more than anything right now.
Achieving genuine internal peace and being at peace with others comes through Christ.
Steve Kuzner