Bible Reading Plan

Author: Jon Green

  • Numbers 4

    Numbers 4

    Read Numbers 4

    The Kohathites

    4 The Lord said to Moses and Aaron: 2 “Take a census of the Kohathite branch of the Levites by their clans and families. 3 Count all the men from thirty to fifty years of age who come to serve in the work at the tent of meeting.

    4 “This is the work of the Kohathites at the tent of meeting: the care of the most holy things. 5 When the camp is to move, Aaron and his sons are to go in and take down the shielding curtain and put it over the ark of the covenant law. 6 Then they are to cover the curtain with a durable leather, spread a cloth of solid blue over that and put the poles in place.

    7 “Over the table of the Presence they are to spread a blue cloth and put on it the plates, dishes and bowls, and the jars for drink offerings; the bread that is continually there is to remain on it. 8 They are to spread a scarlet cloth over them, cover that with the durable leather and put the poles in place.

    9 “They are to take a blue cloth and cover the lampstand that is for light, together with its lamps, its wick trimmers and trays, and all its jars for the olive oil used to supply it. 10 Then they are to wrap it and all its accessories in a covering of the durable leather and put it on a carrying frame.

    11 “Over the gold altar they are to spread a blue cloth and cover that with the durable leather and put the poles in place.

    12 “They are to take all the articles used for ministering in the sanctuary, wrap them in a blue cloth, cover that with the durable leather and put them on a carrying frame.

    13 “They are to remove the ashes from the bronze altar and spread a purple cloth over it. 14 Then they are to place on it all the utensils used for ministering at the altar, including the firepans, meat forks, shovels and sprinkling bowls. Over it they are to spread a covering of the durable leather and put the poles in place.

    15 “After Aaron and his sons have finished covering the holy furnishings and all the holy articles, and when the camp is ready to move, only then are the Kohathites to come and do the carrying. But they must not touch the holy things or they will die. The Kohathites are to carry those things that are in the tent of meeting.

    16 “Eleazar son of Aaron, the priest, is to have charge of the oil for the light,the fragrant incense, the regular grain offering and the anointing oil. He is to be in charge of the entire tabernacle and everything in it, including its holy furnishings and articles.”

    17 The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, 18 “See that the Kohathite tribal clans are not destroyed from among the Levites. 19 So that they may live and not die when they come near the most holy things, do this for them: Aaron and his sons are to go into the sanctuary and assign to each man his work and what he is to carry. 20 But the Kohathites must not go in to look at the holy things, even for a moment, or they will die.”

    The Gershonites

    21 The Lord said to Moses, 22 “Take a census also of the Gershonites by their families and clans. 23 Count all the men from thirty to fifty years of agewho come to serve in the work at the tent of meeting.

    24 “This is the service of the Gershonite clans in their carrying and their other work: 25 They are to carry the curtains of the tabernacle, that is, the tent of meeting, its covering and its outer covering of durable leather, the curtains for the entrance to the tent of meeting, 26 the curtains of the courtyard surrounding the tabernacle and altar, the curtain for the entrance to the courtyard, the ropes and all the equipment used in the service of the tent. The Gershonites are to do all that needs to be done with these things.27 All their service, whether carrying or doing other work, is to be done under the direction of Aaron and his sons. You shall assign to them as their responsibility all they are to carry. 28 This is the service of the Gershonite clans at the tent of meeting. Their duties are to be under the direction of Ithamar son of Aaron, the priest.

    The Merarites

    29 “Count the Merarites by their clans and families. 30 Count all the men from thirty to fifty years of age who come to serve in the work at the tent of meeting. 31 As part of all their service at the tent, they are to carry the frames of the tabernacle, its crossbars, posts and bases, 32 as well as the posts of the surrounding courtyard with their bases, tent pegs, ropes, all their equipment and everything related to their use. Assign to each man the specific things he is to carry. 33 This is the service of the Merarite clans as they work at the tent of meeting under the direction of Ithamar son of Aaron, the priest.”

    The Numbering of the Levite Clans

    34 Moses, Aaron and the leaders of the community counted the Kohathitesby their clans and families. 35 All the men from thirty to fifty years of agewho came to serve in the work at the tent of meeting, 36 counted by clans, were 2,750. 37 This was the total of all those in the Kohathite clans who served at the tent of meeting. Moses and Aaron counted them according to the Lord’s command through Moses.

    38 The Gershonites were counted by their clans and families. 39 All the men from thirty to fifty years of age who came to serve in the work at the tent of meeting, 40 counted by their clans and families, were 2,630. 41 This was the total of those in the Gershonite clans who served at the tent of meeting. Moses and Aaron counted them according to the Lord’s command.

    42 The Merarites were counted by their clans and families. 43 All the men from thirty to fifty years of age who came to serve in the work at the tent of meeting, 44 counted by their clans, were 3,200. 45 This was the total of those in the Merarite clans. Moses and Aaron counted them according to the Lord’s command through Moses.

    46 So Moses, Aaron and the leaders of Israel counted all the Levites by their clans and families. 47 All the men from thirty to fifty years of age who came to do the work of serving and carrying the tent of meeting 48 numbered 8,580. 49 At the Lord’s command through Moses, each was assigned his work and told what to carry.

    Thus they were counted, as the Lord commanded Moses.

    Go Deeper

    In this chapter we see three clans of the tribe of Levi getting assigned their priestly duties for the service of the tent of meeting. The sons of Kohath were given the task of carrying the most holy things. The sons of Gershwin were given the task of carrying the curtains of the tabernacle and the screen for the entrance of the tent of meeting. The sons of Merari were to carry the frames of the tabernacle. Moses arranged the Levitical families according to the holiness of the articles that they managed, not the age of their ancestors as in earlier chapters in Numbers. 

    This chapter helps paint the picture of the separation between the Israelites and God. The curtains marked the boundaries of which the people could not cross. Only certain people at certain times could enter God’s presence. Even the Kohathites, who were responsible for carrying the holy things, were not able to look inside or directly touch the items or they would die (v. 15, 20). 

    In Mark 15 when Jesus breathed his last breath, the curtain of the temple was torn from top to bottom. This symbolizes that the barrier between God and sinful humanity has been removed and we have access to God in a new and different way because of Jesus’s finished work on the cross. 

    When we believed upon Jesus for the forgiveness of our sins, we received the Holy Spirit. We see in John 4 Jesus tells the woman that a time is coming when we will worship the Father neither on a sacred mountain nor in Jerusalem at the temple. We now have access to God; we don’t have to go through any human to access the divine because the divine came to us and the Holy Spirit dwells within us!

    Though we can talk to and sit in the presence of our Heavenly Father whenever we want, this chapter teaches us, we should have reverence for the things associated with God and that service for the Lord is Holy, no matter how mundane it may appear in human standards.

    Questions

    1. How can you show greater honor and respect to the things of God?
    2. Do you take the access you have to God for granted? 
    3. What time today will you set aside to intentionally talk with God?

    Keep Digging

    For more on the tabernacle, check out this helpful article from GotQuestions.org!

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  • Numbers 3

    Numbers 3

    Read Numbers 3

    The Levites

    3 This is the account of the family of Aaron and Moses at the time the Lord spoke to Moses at Mount Sinai.

    2 The names of the sons of Aaron were Nadab the firstborn and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar. 3 Those were the names of Aaron’s sons, the anointed priests, who were ordained to serve as priests. 4 Nadab and Abihu, however, died before the Lord when they made an offering with unauthorized fire before him in the Desert of Sinai. They had no sons, so Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests during the lifetime of their father Aaron.

    5 The Lord said to Moses, 6 “Bring the tribe of Levi and present them to Aaron the priest to assist him. 7 They are to perform duties for him and for the whole community at the tent of meeting by doing the work of the tabernacle. 8 They are to take care of all the furnishings of the tent of meeting, fulfilling the obligations of the Israelites by doing the work of the tabernacle. 9 Give the Levites to Aaron and his sons; they are the Israelites who are to be given wholly to him. 10 Appoint Aaron and his sons to serve as priests; anyone else who approaches the sanctuary is to be put to death.”

    11 The Lord also said to Moses, 12 “I have taken the Levites from among the Israelites in place of the first male offspring of every Israelite woman. The Levites are mine, 13 for all the firstborn are mine. When I struck down all the firstborn in Egypt, I set apart for myself every firstborn in Israel, whether human or animal. They are to be mine. I am the Lord.”

    14 The Lord said to Moses in the Desert of Sinai, 15 “Count the Levites by their families and clans. Count every male a month old or more.” 16 So Moses counted them, as he was commanded by the word of the Lord.

    17 These were the names of the sons of Levi:

    Gershon, Kohath and Merari.

    18 These were the names of the Gershonite clans:

    Libni and Shimei.

    19 The Kohathite clans:

    Amram, Izhar, Hebron and Uzziel.

    20 The Merarite clans:

    Mahli and Mushi.

    These were the Levite clans, according to their families.

    21 To Gershon belonged the clans of the Libnites and Shimeites; these were the Gershonite clans. 22 The number of all the males a month old or more who were counted was 7,500. 23 The Gershonite clans were to camp on the west, behind the tabernacle. 24 The leader of the families of the Gershonites was Eliasaph son of Lael. 25 At the tent of meeting the Gershonites were responsible for the care of the tabernacle and tent, its coverings, the curtain at the entrance to the tent of meeting, 26 the curtains of the courtyard, the curtain at the entrance to the courtyard surrounding the tabernacle and altar, and the ropes—and everything related to their use.

    27 To Kohath belonged the clans of the Amramites, Izharites, Hebronites and Uzzielites; these were the Kohathite clans. 28 The number of all the males a month old or more was 8,600. The Kohathites were responsible for the care of the sanctuary. 29 The Kohathite clans were to camp on the south side of the tabernacle. 30 The leader of the families of the Kohathite clans was Elizaphan son of Uzziel. 31 They were responsible for the care of the ark, the table, the lampstand, the altars, the articles of the sanctuary used in ministering, the curtain, and everything related to their use. 32 The chief leader of the Levites was Eleazar son of Aaron, the priest. He was appointed over those who were responsible for the care of the sanctuary.

    33 To Merari belonged the clans of the Mahlites and the Mushites; these were the Merarite clans. 34 The number of all the males a month old or morewho were counted was 6,200. 35 The leader of the families of the Merarite clans was Zuriel son of Abihail; they were to camp on the north side of the tabernacle. 36 The Merarites were appointed to take care of the frames of the tabernacle, its crossbars, posts, bases, all its equipment, and everything related to their use, 37 as well as the posts of the surrounding courtyard with their bases, tent pegs and ropes.

    38 Moses and Aaron and his sons were to camp to the east of the tabernacle, toward the sunrise, in front of the tent of meeting. They were responsible for the care of the sanctuary on behalf of the Israelites. Anyone else who approached the sanctuary was to be put to death.

    39 The total number of Levites counted at the Lord’s command by Moses and Aaron according to their clans, including every male a month old or more, was 22,000.

    40 The Lord said to Moses, “Count all the firstborn Israelite males who are a month old or more and make a list of their names. 41 Take the Levites for me in place of all the firstborn of the Israelites, and the livestock of the Levites in place of all the firstborn of the livestock of the Israelites. I am the Lord.”

    42 So Moses counted all the firstborn of the Israelites, as the Lordcommanded him. 43 The total number of firstborn males a month old or more, listed by name, was 22,273.

    44 The Lord also said to Moses, 45 “Take the Levites in place of all the firstborn of Israel, and the livestock of the Levites in place of their livestock. The Levites are to be mine. I am the Lord. 46 To redeem the 273 firstborn Israelites who exceed the number of the Levites, 47 collect five shekels for each one, according to the sanctuary shekel, which weighs twenty gerahs.48 Give the money for the redemption of the additional Israelites to Aaron and his sons.”

    49 So Moses collected the redemption money from those who exceeded the number redeemed by the Levites. 50 From the firstborn of the Israelites he collected silver weighing 1,365 shekels, according to the sanctuary shekel.51 Moses gave the redemption money to Aaron and his sons, as he was commanded by the word of the Lord.

    Go Deeper

    As you read Numbers 3, recall the Israelites are embarking on their journey to God’s promised land for them. Their exodus requires significant organizational instructions which are often recorded as “the Lord spoke to Moses.” Thus far, the Lord has instructed the Israelite tribes to be counted, and the specific location of each tribe determined, (except for the tribe of Levi.) Today’s reading reveals God’s plan for the role of this tribe. Aaron and his two sons were designated by God as the priests for the Israelites, but it was impossible for them to handle all the religious needs of the tribes. 

    God directed Moses to gather the Levites, setting them aside to serve the priests (Aaron and his sons) and accomplish the daily work of the tabernacle. As details of the specific duties are assigned, God’s instructions are clear and precise. Take note of Moses’ obedient response to God’s words. Without hesitation (or offering another perspective), he followed God’s directions totally and precisely: from separating the Levites, to counting every Levite male one month old or more, to registering the first-born Israelite males, to collecting a redemption payment for extra Israelite males not covered by the Levite number, and to giving the redemption payment to Aaron. Moses’ obedience reflects his wholehearted trust in God – the God who provides, rescues, brings order, who knows and redeems. His full obedience serves as a great encouragement and challenge for us.

    As in many Old Testament passages, this chapter offers a shadow of God’s salvation plan. The Levites were set aside for lives devoted to practical service to God in place of each first-born Israelite male, who were previously designated as God’s possession after the rescue from Egypt. In other words, they served as a substitute for the other tribes, fulfilling the obligation of the first-born males. This act of substitution is a shadow of Jesus’ substituting His life for ours, sacrificing his life by dying in our place. 

    Second Corinthians 5:21 describes it this way: “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” God’s plan to substitute His own Son and redeem us will be revealed throughout our reading of Numbers and other Old Testament books, often in shadows pointing us to Jesus. As we read, let’s ask God to open our eyes and hearts to catch glimpses of His incredible redemption story fulfilled in Jesus. Then, let’s respond with thanks!

    Questions

    1. How does Moses’ totally obedient response to God’s words challenge your obedience to God?
    2. How does your trust in God influence your obedience to Him?
    3. What does Jesus’ substitution of His life for yours mean to you? How can you express your thankfulness to Him today?

    Did You Know?

    It was the job of the Levites to serve the needs of Aaron and the priests, but according to Deuteronomy 24:8 the Levites has another important job: teaching and explaining the Word of God to the Israelites.

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  • Numbers 2

    Numbers 2

    Read Numbers 2

    The Arrangement of the Tribal Camps

    2 The Lord said to Moses and Aaron: 2 “The Israelites are to camp around the tent of meeting some distance from it, each of them under their standardand holding the banners of their family.”

    3 On the east, toward the sunrise, the divisions of the camp of Judah are to encamp under their standard. The leader of the people of Judah is Nahshon son of Amminadab. 4 His division numbers 74,600.

    5 The tribe of Issachar will camp next to them. The leader of the people of Issachar is Nethanel son of Zuar. 6 His division numbers 54,400.

    7 The tribe of Zebulun will be next. The leader of the people of Zebulun is Eliab son of Helon. 8 His division numbers 57,400.

    9 All the men assigned to the camp of Judah, according to their divisions, number 186,400. They will set out first.

    10 On the south will be the divisions of the camp of Reuben under their standard. The leader of the people of Reuben is Elizur son of Shedeur.11 His division numbers 46,500.

    12 The tribe of Simeon will camp next to them. The leader of the people of Simeon is Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai. 13 His division numbers 59,300.

    14 The tribe of Gad will be next. The leader of the people of Gad is Eliasaph son of Deuel. 15 His division numbers 45,650.

    16 All the men assigned to the camp of Reuben, according to their divisions, number 151,450. They will set out second.

    17 Then the tent of meeting and the camp of the Levites will set out in the middle of the camps. They will set out in the same order as they encamp, each in their own place under their standard.

    18 On the west will be the divisions of the camp of Ephraim under their standard. The leader of the people of Ephraim is Elishama son of Ammihud. 19 His division numbers 40,500.

    20 The tribe of Manasseh will be next to them. The leader of the people of Manasseh is Gamaliel son of Pedahzur. 21 His division numbers 32,200.

    22 The tribe of Benjamin will be next. The leader of the people of Benjamin is Abidan son of Gideoni. 23 His division numbers 35,400.

    24 All the men assigned to the camp of Ephraim, according to their divisions, number 108,100. They will set out third.

    25 On the north will be the divisions of the camp of Dan under their standard. The leader of the people of Dan is Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai.26 His division numbers 62,700.

    27 The tribe of Asher will camp next to them. The leader of the people of Asher is Pagiel son of Okran. 28 His division numbers 41,500.

    29 The tribe of Naphtali will be next. The leader of the people of Naphtali is Ahira son of Enan. 30 His division numbers 53,400.

    31 All the men assigned to the camp of Dan number 157,600. They will set out last, under their standards.

    32 These are the Israelites, counted according to their families. All the men in the camps, by their divisions, number 603,550. 33 The Levites, however, were not counted along with the other Israelites, as the Lord commanded Moses.

    34 So the Israelites did everything the Lord commanded Moses; that is the way they encamped under their standards, and that is the way they set out, each of them with their clan and family.

    Go Deeper

    Numbers 2 outlines the arrangement of the camp for the tribes. The general structure is there are three tribes in each cardinal direction. The tribes are situated around the tabernacle; God is at the center of all of this, He is who they are oriented from. While we orient our maps to the north, that is not the case for this culture. God starts their layout from the east with Judah. 

    We see that God is clear with His instructions for them of where they will go, how they will do it, and who they will be led by. He is kind in His order, but it isn’t always clear why each camp is placed where they are at. Sometimes the biggest camps are on the outside, which is good for military protection since they will march in this same order. However, other times it’s the smaller ones on the outside. It is possible that this had a symbolic shape–some scholars even believe that it could possibly be in the shape of the cross. Whatever the reason is, He doesn’t explain it to them (but that doesn’t mean there isn’t one). He is intentional in His order, even if it’s for reasons that we ourselves cannot see.

    “The standard” is mentioned often in this text and it is a banner or flag. There is speculation for what exactly the standards for each tribe is, but the four main banners are normally agreed to be a lion for Judah, a man for Reuben, a calf for Ephraim, and an eagle for Dan. In Revelation, there are these same four creatures described to be surrounding the throne of God. “The first living creature was like a lion, the second living creature like a calf, the third living creature had a face like a man, and the fourth living creature was like a flying eagle” (Revelation 4:7). 

    These are the same Ezekiel 1:10 prophecies about and the four gospel authors are assigned one of these same animals to symbolize them. This is yet another reminder of how the whole Bible is connected. It isn’t accidental that these symbols are seen all throughout the scriptures. Only our God could beautifully connect His story from Genesis to Revelation!

    Questions

    1. What does this reveal about God to you?
    2. Read Genesis 49:8-12. How do you see this prophecy fulfilled in this chapter?
    3. Re-read verse 34. What does this say about the Israelites? What does it look like for you to “obey all the Lord commanded” today?

    Keep Digging

    For more about the camp arrangement, check out this article.

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  • Numbers 1 + Overview

    Numbers 1 + Overview

    Numbers Introduction

    For some people, the title of Numbers alone is enough to make them not want to dive into this book! As we read over the next few weeks, this isn’t a math book, but a narrative of God’s people and God’s faithfulness to them. 

    God’s people have just received the Law at Sinai and now they are journeying to the Promised Land. While the book of Numbers begins with a census of Israel, the rest of the book has little to do with actual numbers. Numbers is about the journey towards the land flowing with milk and honey just east of the Mediterranean Sea. The people head to Kadesh and God leads them through a cloud by day and fire by night. When the cloud that covered the tent moved, the Israelites packed up camp and followed it. When the cloud stopped, the people stopped and set up camp again. God provided for his people giving them manna from heaven, which is bread, and quail. From there, there are stories of trust and disobedience, complaining and wandering. God’s promises hold true throughout. 

    The book of Numbers is in our Bible for a reason. Not only does it move the storyline of Scripture along, but it also points to the coming Savior. Amidst all of Israel’s failures, there was still hope. God’s wrath and judgment in this book might seem harsh, but we see God marked by both judgment and mercy in the Old Testament and New Testament. Look for yourself in the story.

    Like the Israelites, when are you tempted to complain? When are you tempted to question God’s promises to you? In what ways are you acting in disobedience to the Word of God? Take a note on Moses’ leadership throughout Numbers. Where does he do well? Where does he fall short? What can we apply to our own lives? Don’t be afraid of the names you don’t know and the places you may be unfamiliar with–focus on the overall story!

    Join us through the book of Numbers, as we see the unfolding of God’s big story and the rocky journey to the Promised Land!

    Read Numbers 1

    The Census

    1 The Lord spoke to Moses in the tent of meeting in the Desert of Sinai on the first day of the second month of the second year after the Israelites came out of Egypt. He said: 2 “Take a census of the whole Israelite community by their clans and families, listing every man by name, one by one. 3 You and Aaron are to count according to their divisions all the men in Israel who are twenty years old or more and able to serve in the army. 4 One man from each tribe, each of them the head of his family, is to help you.5 These are the names of the men who are to assist you:

    from Reuben, Elizur son of Shedeur;

    6 from Simeon, Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai;

    7 from Judah, Nahshon son of Amminadab;

    8 from Issachar, Nethanel son of Zuar;

    9 from Zebulun, Eliab son of Helon;

    10 from the sons of Joseph:

    from Ephraim, Elishama son of Ammihud;

    from Manasseh, Gamaliel son of Pedahzur;

    11 from Benjamin, Abidan son of Gideoni;

    12 from Dan, Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai;

    13 from Asher, Pagiel son of Okran;

    14 from Gad, Eliasaph son of Deuel;

    15 from Naphtali, Ahira son of Enan.”

    16 These were the men appointed from the community, the leaders of their ancestral tribes. They were the heads of the clans of Israel.

    17 Moses and Aaron took these men whose names had been specified,18 and they called the whole community together on the first day of the second month. The people registered their ancestry by their clans and families, and the men twenty years old or more were listed by name, one by one, 19 as the Lord commanded Moses. And so he counted them in the Desert of Sinai:

    20 From the descendants of Reuben the firstborn son of Israel:

    All the men twenty years old or more who were able to serve in the army were listed by name, one by one, according to the records of their clans and families. 21 The number from the tribe of Reuben was 46,500.

    22 From the descendants of Simeon:

    All the men twenty years old or more who were able to serve in the army were counted and listed by name, one by one, according to the records of their clans and families. 23 The number from the tribe of Simeon was 59,300.

    24 From the descendants of Gad:

    All the men twenty years old or more who were able to serve in the army were listed by name, according to the records of their clans and families. 25 The number from the tribe of Gad was 45,650.

    26 From the descendants of Judah:

    All the men twenty years old or more who were able to serve in the army were listed by name, according to the records of their clans and families. 27 The number from the tribe of Judah was 74,600.

    28 From the descendants of Issachar:

    All the men twenty years old or more who were able to serve in the army were listed by name, according to the records of their clans and families. 29 The number from the tribe of Issachar was 54,400.

    30 From the descendants of Zebulun:

    All the men twenty years old or more who were able to serve in the army were listed by name, according to the records of their clans and families. 31 The number from the tribe of Zebulun was 57,400.

    32 From the sons of Joseph:

    From the descendants of Ephraim:

    All the men twenty years old or more who were able to serve in the army were listed by name, according to the records of their clans and families. 33 The number from the tribe of Ephraim was 40,500.

    34 From the descendants of Manasseh:

    All the men twenty years old or more who were able to serve in the army were listed by name, according to the records of their clans and families. 35 The number from the tribe of Manasseh was 32,200.

    36 From the descendants of Benjamin:

    All the men twenty years old or more who were able to serve in the army were listed by name, according to the records of their clans and families. 37 The number from the tribe of Benjamin was 35,400.

    38 From the descendants of Dan:

    All the men twenty years old or more who were able to serve in the army were listed by name, according to the records of their clans and families. 39 The number from the tribe of Dan was 62,700.

    40 From the descendants of Asher:

    All the men twenty years old or more who were able to serve in the army were listed by name, according to the records of their clans and families. 41 The number from the tribe of Asher was 41,500.

    42 From the descendants of Naphtali:

    All the men twenty years old or more who were able to serve in the army were listed by name, according to the records of their clans and families. 43 The number from the tribe of Naphtali was 53,400.

    44 These were the men counted by Moses and Aaron and the twelve leaders of Israel, each one representing his family. 45 All the Israelites twenty years old or more who were able to serve in Israel’s army were counted according to their families. 46 The total number was 603,550.

    47 The ancestral tribe of the Levites, however, was not counted along with the others. 48 The Lord had said to Moses: 49 “You must not count the tribe of Levi or include them in the census of the other Israelites. 50 Instead, appoint the Levites to be in charge of the tabernacle of the covenant law—over all its furnishings and everything belonging to it. They are to carry the tabernacle and all its furnishings; they are to take care of it and encamp around it. 51 Whenever the tabernacle is to move, the Levites are to take it down, and whenever the tabernacle is to be set up, the Levites shall do it.Anyone else who approaches it is to be put to death. 52 The Israelites are to set up their tents by divisions, each of them in their own camp under their standard. 53 The Levites, however, are to set up their tents around the tabernacle of the covenant law so that my wrath will not fall on the Israelite community. The Levites are to be responsible for the care of the tabernacle of the covenant law.”

    54 The Israelites did all this just as the Lord commanded Moses.

    Go Deeper

    The book of Numbers begins with a census. There are two censuses that take place in Numbers, one at the beginning of the book and one at the end. This census is for men over twenty who can go to war, which is why women weren’t included. Note the Levites were not included because they were chosen as the priestly tribe. Moses and Aaron divide the people into their tribes and appoint leaders for each one, to prepare to journey towards the Promised Land. Most of us look at these chapters in the Bible and are tempted to skip over them. However, this is more than just a list of names. There is so much we can learn! In this chapter, there are three main takeaways. 

    The first thing we see is that God is dwelling with His people. The book begins saying, “The Lord spoke to Moses in the tent of meeting in the Wilderness of Sinai, on the first day of the second month of the second year after Israel’s departure from the land of Egypt” (v. 1). Exodus ended with Moses outside the tent of meeting where God’s presence dwelt, and now Numbers begins with Moses inside the tent of meeting talking to God. Why is this important? It means that the book of Leviticus worked! The problem we see at the beginning of Leviticus is how a holy in God could dwell with a sinful people. This is solved through sacrifices, feasts, and the priests. It also shows us that from the beginning, God desires to be with His people. 

    The second thing we see is that God keeps His promises. We see the unfolding of God’s promises through this first chapter in Numbers. In Genesis 12, God promised Abraham: land, seed (descendants), and blessing. This is known as the Abrahamic Covenant. God tells Abraham that “all the nations of the earth will be blessed by [his] offspring.” Already in the book of Numbers we see God coming through. They were heading towards the Promised Land, their numbers were many as we see through the census, and God’s blessing was upon them. What started with Abraham and Sarah is now generations of Israelites. God is faithful!

    The third thing we see through this chapter is that God’s Word is reliable. This book is not a fairytale that took place thousands of years ago. These are real people with real stories. It says their total number was 603,5oo people (v. 46). This implies a total population of about 2.4 million! Census’ shows us the reliability of Scripture and the historical accuracy of what took place. The Bible is the Word of God (2 Timothy 3:16), and it has been preserved unlike any other text. Let this census remind you that God’s Word is trustworthy and true. It is authoritative and sufficient. We can and should depend on it. 

    Questions

    1. What stands out to you about this chapter?

    2. Numbers 1 begins with the Lord speaking to Moses and giving him clear instructions for the census. What does this show you about the character of God? What does this show you about the character of Moses? 

    3. This census likely would have been tedious and taken a long time. When is a time you have been obedient to the Lord, even when it was tedious or burdensome? 

    Watch This

    Check out this video overview of the book of Numbers from The Bible Project!

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  • James 5

    James 5

    Read James 5

    Warning to Rich Oppressors

    5 Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming on you. 2 Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes.3 Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days. 4 Look! The wages you failed to pay the workers who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty. 5 You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves in the day of slaughter. 6 You have condemned and murdered the innocent one, who was not opposing you.

    Patience in Suffering

    7 Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains. 8 You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near. 9 Don’t grumble against one another, brothers and sisters, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door!

    10 Brothers and sisters, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. 11 As you know, we count as blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.

    12 Above all, my brothers and sisters, do not swear—not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. All you need to say is a simple “Yes” or “No.” Otherwise you will be condemned.

    The Prayer of Faith

    13 Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. 14 Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven.16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.

    17 Elijah was a human being, even as we are. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years.18 Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.

    19 My brothers and sisters, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring that person back, 20 remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save them from death and cover over a multitude of sins.

    Go Deeper

    James closes this letter in a sobering way. A genuine faith is an active faith that pierces every aspect of one’s life. Suffering reveals what we truly believe within.

    He opens by giving a warning to the rich. He is not saying anything new though. He is simply reiterating what his brother Jesus said throughout His ministry about money (Luke 12, Matthew 6). Like few things do, money has a way of convincing us that we are in control and not reliant on anyone else. Jesus is not against His followers having money, He is against money having a grip on His followers. James is clear that many had spent their life building their kingdom at the expense of others and their consequences were inevitable.

    James then proceeds to encourage the church to wait well. For the believer, this world is not our home. Suffering and disappointment are as sure as death. It is easy to lose hope in light of that reality but James offers a better way. He encourages his readers to establish their hearts in the coming of the Lord. Why would he say such a thing? It is the only way to wait well. The heart that knows how the story ends is able and willing to wait. James points us to Job who suffered the loss of resources, kids, and health however He was rooted in the Lord. In Job 19:25 Job says, “I know that my redeemer lives, and that in the end, he will stand on the earth.” Followers of Christ today have the same expectation on the other side of Christ coming knowing that Jesus will return for His bride.

    He closes this letter by inviting the readers to a deeper dependence on the Lord through prayer and confession. You can determine how one views God’s heart by their prayer life and their confessions. James is simply calling us to a life of prayer like he so vividly saw His brother Jesus live. If we commit to walking in the way that Jesus did, we will reap the fruit of the abundant life Jesus offers.

    Questions

    1. Think about the posture of your heart towards money. Do you have money or does money have you?
    2. How have you been able to wait well for God in difficult seasons? What have you found to be helpful?
    3. What distracts you from praying and how can you remove that?

    A Quote

    “Prayer is how God gives us so many of the unimaginable things he has for us. Indeed, prayer makes it safe for God to give us many of the things we most desire. It is the way we know God, the way we finally treat God as God. Prayer is simply the key to everything we need to do and be in life.” – Tim Keller

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  • James 4

    James 4

    Read James 4

    Submit Yourselves to God

    4 What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? 2 You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. 3 When you ask, you do not receive,because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.

    4 You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the worldmeans enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. 5 Or do you think Scripture says without reason that he jealously longs for the spirit he has caused to dwell in us? 6 But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says:

    “God opposes the proud
        but shows favor to the humble.”

    7 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.8 Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.

    11 Brothers and sisters, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against a brother or sister or judges them speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it. 12 There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you—who are you to judge your neighbor?

    Boasting About Tomorrow

    13 Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” 14 Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. 15 Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” 16 As it is, you boast in your arrogant schemes. All such boasting is evil. 17 If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them.

    Go Deeper

    James is taking great care to caution his listeners against letting envy and bitterness take root among them, because he knows that this is the source of an anger that leads to great destruction. Right off the bat he explains that the wars between believers come from internal desires for pleasure and things of the world. As one commentator puts it, “It is self-evident that the Spirit of God does not create desire which issues in envying.” In other words, if a believer claims to have a good motive, but has a critical or contentious attitude, then his desires do not align with those of the Holy Spirit. 

    Thankfully, when we let this happen, verse 5 reminds us that the Holy Spirit is jealous for a relationship with God. This jealousy leads to conviction when we are not in right relationship with Him. While translations of verse 5 may vary, James is merely reiterating many passages from the Old Testament that teach of a jealous God. He intentionally uses the phrase “adulterers and adulteresses” so that this jealousy can be more easily understood: the pain suffered by someone who has been betrayed by a spouse is the same pain we cause God when we forget that we are His bride. He has been ever faithful to us, but our desires for things of the world not only cause war among us, but cause Him horrible grief.  

    So how do we keep our worldly desires in check? James gives us practical guidance in verses 7-10. Submit to God. Resist the devil. Lead a pure life. Have sincere sorrow for your sins and humble yourself before the Lord. When we do these things, James reminds us that we have a God who gives us unending grace when we submit to Him. 

    Charles Spurgeon has various sermons on this passage filled with incredible explanations and words of wisdom. If we question whether it is worth it to do the hard work and humble ourselves and submit to God, consider this quote from Spurgeon: “I desire to whisper one little truth in your ear, and I pray that it may startle you: You are submitting even now. You say, ‘Not I; I am lord of myself.’ I know you think so, but all the while you are submitting to the devil. The verse before us hints at this. ‘Submit yourselves unto God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.’ If you do not submit to God you never will resist the devil, and you will remain constantly under his tyrannical power. Which shall be your master, God or devil, for one of these must. No man is without a master.” 

    We have two options: submit to God who loves us and created us or remain under the tyranny of the one who wants to destroy us. There is no in between. Let’s take that harrowing perspective with us today so that when even seemingly harmless decisions or situations confront us, we remember to ask the Holy Spirit within us for guidance. In doing so we can both prevent conflict and bring joy to the Father who loves us. 

    Questions

    1. Is there any envy or bitterness within you that you need to confess to God? 
    2. What would it look like for you to practically resist the devil and submit to God today? Is there anyone you need to apologize to? Do you need to abandon any plans long in the making for failure to include God in them? 
    3. Spend time meditating on verses 9-10 and make sure that your heart is in a position of humility before God so that your actions and motivations today align with His.

    Keep Digging

    “If we basely yield to temptations, the devil will continuously follow us; but if we put on the whole armor of God, and stand it out against him, he will be gone from us. Resolution shuts and bolts the door against temptation.” – Matthew Henry

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  • James 3

    James 3

    Read James 3

    Taming the Tongue

    3 Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. 2 We all stumble in many ways. Anyone who is never at fault in what they say is perfect, able to keep their whole body in check.

    3 When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. 4 Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. 5 Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. 6 The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.

    7 All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind, 8 but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.

    9 With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. 10 Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. 11 Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? 12 My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.

    Two Kinds of Wisdom

    13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. 14 But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. 15 Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. 16 For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.

    17 But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. 18 Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.

    Go Deeper

    In this chapter, James begins by giving several analogies to convey the power of the tongue. From a bit in the mouth of a horse (verse 3) to the rudder of a great ship (verse 4), we get the picture of two small things that have great power and are extremely important in guiding the direction of their vessels. Then James tells us in verse 5 “So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things.”

    James goes on to explain that the tongue can be used for both good and evil. It has the potential to be both a blessing and a curse. Proverbs 18:21 says “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits.” How do we make sure that our tongues are being used for good, blessing, and life? How do we steer clear of allowing things to come out of our mouths that are evil, curses, and lead to death?

    Romans 6:13 says “Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness.” The Bible commands us to give every single part of our bodies to God to be used as instruments of righteousness! The way that we use our tongues to speak life is by giving the control of it to the Holy Spirit. Keep in mind that both the bridle of the horse and the rudder of the ship can do tremendous good when they are properly controlled.

    James 3:8 says “but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil full of deadly poison.” Scripture explicitly tells us here that it is not within our human capacity to tame the tongue. As believers in Jesus, we should constantly ask ourselves: Who or what is directing the reins of our tongues? Who or what is controlling the rudder? A tongue controlled by the Holy Spirit will consistently speak words filled with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control (Galatians 5:22-23). If our words are more consistently categorized as criticism, gossip, slander, cruelty, anger, or insincere than we need to heed James’ warning from this passage and hand over the reins.

    Questions

    1. Does your mouth consistently speak words filled with the fruits of the Spirit?
    2. Based on your answer above, who or what is directing the reins of your tongue?
    3. Psalm 141:3 says “Set a guard over my mouth, LORD; keep watch over the door of my lips.” Spend some time praying this as a prayer and asking the Lord to take control of your tongue!

    Keep Digging

    James also compares the tongue to a fire in this passage. For more insight on this metaphor, read this article from GotQuestions.org.

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  • James 2

    James 2

    Editor’s Note

    Happy New Year! The book of James is a perfect book to start off 2024 on the right foot.

    If there is someone in your life that you want to read alongside you, one chapter per day, have them visit biblereadingplan.org and sign up on the home page to receive the devotional straight to their inbox each day. 

    Read James 2

    Favoritism Forbidden

    2 My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism. 2 Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in filthy old clothes also comes in.3 If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, “Here’s a good seat for you,” but say to the poor man, “You stand there” or “Sit on the floor by my feet,” 4 have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?

    5 Listen, my dear brothers and sisters: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him? 6 But you have dishonored the poor. Is it not the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are dragging you into court? 7 Are they not the ones who are blaspheming the noble name of him to whom you belong?

    8 If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing right. 9 But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers. 10 For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. 11 For he who said, “You shall not commit adultery,” also said, “You shall not murder.” If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker.

    12 Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, 13 because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.

    Faith and Deeds

    14 What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? 15 Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. 16 If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? 17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

    18 But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.”

    Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds.19 You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.

    20 You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? 21 Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. 23 And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called God’s friend.24 You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone.

    25 In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction? 26 As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.

    Go Deeper

    The book of James is all about faith that works. He is saying “if you are going to talk the talk of Christianity, you better walk the walk.” This means that the actions of Christians should match the faith they claim with their words. James begins this chapter talking about the sin of partiality, or favoritism. He says, “My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism” (v. 1). Favoritism can be defined as having unfair love or preferential treatment towards some at the expense of others. It is treating someone based on external factors. 

    James illustrates this in a church meeting with those favoring the rich over the poor (v. 3-4). God is impartial, meaning He shows no favoritism. He sees all people the same and all are held to the same standard. We also know that God does not look at the outward appearance, He looks at the heart. For many of us, there are various reasons why we would treat people differently. This could be their wealth, race, political party, job title, gender, intelligence, etc. When we receive the goodness of God in our heart, we reflect the goodness of God in our lives. This looks like treating people according to their value and worth in God’s eyes, regardless of what they physically look like or what their worldly status is. 

    James continues in this passage asking the question: How do you know if you have real faith? Look at the fruit. James says, “In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead” (v. 17). Our works are the fruit of our faith. Faith without action is a useless faith. Martin Luther once said, “We are saved by faith alone, but the faith that saves is never alone.” We do not have to work for our salvation, we work from our salvation.

    People say what they think, but they do what they truly believe. In Matthew 7, Jesus tells us “By their fruit you will recognize them” (v. 20). This idea is also demonstrated in Matthew 25. Jesus is describing future events to His disciples telling them that He will separate the sheep from the goats. Jesus says about His true disciples, the sheep, “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.” Jesus continues saying, “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” (v. 40).

    What He is communicating here is that if we ignore those in need, we are essentially ignoring Christ. When we serve those in need, we are serving Christ. The gospel changes the way we live and the way that we radically love others. No, we are not saved by our good deeds, but our good deeds prove we have a saving faith. When Jesus is in our hearts, acts of mercy will flow from us. 

    Questions

    1. When is a time where you have shown favoritism towards some people or someone over others? 
    2. What are the works flowing out of your faith currently? 
    3. What is something that you can do today to put your faith into action?

    A Quote

    “Mercy to the full range of human needs is such an essential mark of being a Christian that it can be used as a test of true faith. Mercy is not optional or an addition to being a Christian. Rather, a life poured out in deeds of mercy is the inevitable sign of true faith.” -Tim Keller

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  • James Introduction + 1

    James Introduction + 1

    James Preview

    The book of James, written by the half-brother of Jesus, is often considered to be one of the most practical and applicable books in all of the New Testament. James is thought to have not been a believer during Jesus’s life and earthly ministry (John 7:5), but came to believe in Jesus after seeing his resurrected body. From there, he converted and became one of the believers of the church in Jerusalem. 

    This book, thought to have been written around 45 AD, is potentially the earliest New Testament book written. It was penned before the Jerusalem Council in 49 AD, which affirmed that the Gospel and salvation were available to both Jews and Gentiles, where James himself gave an impassioned speech.

    Throughout this book, there is a call from James for Christians to live according to the truth that they claim to believe. The idea of a Christian living a misaligned life, where you say one thing and do another, was absurd to James. Over the course of these five chapters, he consistently calls his readers back to the idea of living faithful, holy lives. Pastor and scholar Chuck Swindoll says this about the book:

    “The pages of James are filled with direct commands to pursue a life of holiness. He makes no excuses for those who do not measure up. In the mind of this early church leader, Christians evidence their faith by walking in certain ways and not others.”

    As we read this book as Christians in the 21st century, the call is the same for us today. Oftentimes, even inside the church, there is a tendency for Christians to put on a facade and say all of the “right” things on Sunday mornings, but then live in an inconsistent manner throughout the rest of the week. There is, however, a different way to live–a way where we put legs to what we say we believe and our faith is moving. 

    As we begin this book, take great notes. Highlight the words that seem be repeated or stick out most to you. Commit some of them to memory. Most importantly, ask God to grow your understanding of Him as begin this journey together. 

    Read James 1

    1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ,

    To the twelve tribes scattered among the nations:

    Greetings.

    Trials and Temptations

    2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be matureand complete, not lacking anything. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. 6 But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.7 That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. 8 Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.

    9 Believers in humble circumstances ought to take pride in their high position. 10 But the rich should take pride in their humiliation—since they will pass away like a wild flower. 11 For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its blossom falls and its beauty is destroyed. In the same way, the rich will fade away even while they go about their business.

    12 Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.

    13 When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; 14 but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed.15 Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.

    16 Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters. 17 Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. 18 He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.

    Listening and Doing

    19 My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, 20 because human angerdoes not produce the righteousness that God desires. 21 Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.

    22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23 Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror 24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25 But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.

    26 Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless.27 Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

    Go Deeper

    This chapter, like each chapter in the book of James, has several different movements and topics that are discussed. Because of the nature of this book, scholars have considered it to be like a New Testament version of Proverbs and a commentary on the Sermon on the Mount, which Jesus preached in Matthew 5-7. In this chapter, James covers everything from withstanding suffering, resisting temptation, the importance of being slow to speak and become angry, why we should do what the Word of God says, and the importance of caring for widows and orphans. If that feels like a lot to keep up with, you’re not wrong! 

    This chapter could be best summed up by re-reading verse 22: “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.” The original audience James was writing to had grown up under the Law of the Old Testament. They would have heard the Scriptures and learned them. They would have sat under the teachings of a rabbi. All of the temptations were there for them to go through the religious motions and regurgitate the “right answers” when they needed to. But that is not authentic Christianity.

    Pastor David Guzik of the Enduring Word commentary says this about the point James is making: 

    “It was common in the ancient world for people to hear a teacher. If you followed the teacher and tried to live what he said, you were called a disciple of that teacher. We may say that Jesus is looking for disciples: doers, not mere hearers. Jesus used this same point to conclude His great Sermon on the Mount. He said that the one who heard the word without doing it was like a man who built his house on the sand, but the one who heard God’s word and did it was like a man whose house was built on a rock. The one who both heard and did God’s word could withstand the inevitable storms of life and the judgment of eternity.”

    As we read this today, why are we to live in the way that James calls us to? There is nothing compelling about something fraudulent or inauthentic, but a genuine Christian who lives in a way that’s different and counter-cultural stands out. They’re no longer a consumer or someone going through religious motions, but instead are a person living by faith. As we go about our day to day, let’s do it with a clean slate and the freedom to live as a devoted follower of Jesus. 

    Questions

    1. What stuck out most to you on your first read through this chapter? Why?

    2. If someone were to audit your life today, would they say you are living by faith or going through the motions? Why?

    3. Think about all of the opportunities you will have to interact with others this week. How can you put legs to your faith this week?

    Watch This

    Check out this overview of the book of James from The Bible Project! 

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  • 2023 Year In Review

    2023 Year In Review

    Share the BRP

    Beginning January 1, we’ll be studying the book of James. The new year is a great opportunity to invite your friends, families, and Life Groups to read along with you in 2024. 

    To sign up and receive the BRP daily in your inbox, go to www.biblereadingplan.org and scroll to the bottom of the page! 

    2023 Year in Review

    We continued to cover a lot of ground through the Bible Reading Plan in 2023! If you have followed along with us since January, we have read through 18 complete books this year (plus different Gospel accounts throughout Holy Week as well as the Psalms of Ascent). Here is all that we covered (in order that we read them) this year from January 1-December 31:

    • Proverbs
    • Deuteronomy
    • Galatians
    • Hebrews
    • Holy Week (primarily readings from Mark)
    • Romans
    • 1 Chronicles
    • Nahum
    • Zephaniah
    • Habakkuk
    • Daniel
    • 2 Chronicles
    • Joel
    • Haggai
    • Malachi 
    • John
    • Ezekiel 
    • 1 Corinthians
    • 2 Corinthians
    • The Psalms of Ascent 

    Once again, we were heavily in the Old Testament this year. This year we continued to bounce back and forth between the Old and New Testaments, giving us a clearer picture of how each book (and type of literature) points us to the common thread throughout scripture: God had a plan to redeem a broken world through Jesus. 

    We started off the year with the wisdom of King Solomon in Proverbs. We dove deep into theology through some of Paul’s letters, like Romans and 1 & 2 Corinthians. Throughout the summer we dove into the historical books of 1 & 2 Chronicles, while also reading from the prophets who lived during those days. Our New Testament readings gave us eyewitness accounts of Jesus’s time on earth and helped develop our theology of who Jesus was and why the Gospel is good news for us. We even spent eight weeks (!) reading through Ezekiel, a complex, prophetic book that ultimately reminds us of our need for a savior. 

    Before we look ahead to next year, it’s helpful to pause and reflect on what God taught us this year. Think through (and please answer in the comments!) the following questions:

    1. Which character or story in scripture that we read this year sticks out the most? Why?
    2. What did you learn about God’s Word in 2023 that you didn’t previously know?
    3. If you were to summarize what God taught you this year into a word or phrase, what would it be?
    4. What is your prayer for 2024? What do you hope God teaches you in the upcoming year? 

    As we move into 2024, this is the year that we will complete the Bible! We only have a handful of books left at this point, so we will continue to read a chapter a day. On January 1 we begin reading the book of James, one of the most practical and applicable books in all of the Bible. Written by the half-brother of Jesus, this book will give us tangible ways to live out our faith as we kick-start a new year. 

    Some of you have been reading a chapter a day alongside us since we started in March 2020, while some of you have hopped in along the way. However long you’ve been following along, we hope the BRP has helped you know, understand, and love God’s Word more. If you have found it to be helpful in your own life, share the BRP with a friend and invite them to read alongside you this year!

    Leave a Comment Below

    Did you learn something today? Share it with our Bible Reading Plan community by commenting below.

    Join the Team

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