Thursday, March 12: Numbers 22-25; Luke 1

Numbers 22:  Who was Balak and who was Balaam?

Numbers 23: Why didn’t Balaam curse the Israelites?

Numbers 24: Why did Balaam set up the altars and sacrifices each time?

Numbers 25: How many people died because of God’s anger?

Luke 1: Why did Luke write this account?  What do we learn about John the Baptist?  

Journal Prompt: Consider the five mentions of the Holy Spirit in this chapter and consider how God worked through each of these people. (v. 15, 35, 41, 67, 80)

Numbers 22: Balak was king of Moab, Balaam was a ‘prophet’ who they hoped would curse the Israelites.

Balaam didn’t curse the Israelites, because God told him “You shall not go with them. You shall not curse the people, for they are blessed.”

Numbers 23 :  Balaam called upon the Lord twice on behalf of Balak in an attempt to curse the Israelites, but God spoke to him and told him to bless the Israelites, rather than curse them.

Numbers 24: Balaam set up altars and sacrifices because he was attempting to entice God’s favor to do his will against Israel. He thought he could control God’s will.

Numbers 25: The Israelites turned to worship Baal which incited God’s wrath. 24,000 died. (vs. 9)

Luke1:  Luke wrote this account, because he had carefully investigated everything that had happened from the beginning and he wanted to inform Theophilus so he would be sure of the things he had  been taught.

We learn that John:
•had very old parents (v.7)
•the angel Gabriel announced his birth to his father (v. 13, 19)
•His name, John, was revealed by the angel. (v.13)
•He would be a delight to his parents and many will rejoice because of his birth (v. 14)
•He would be great in the eyes of the Old (v. 15)
•He would be filled with the Holy Spirit while he was still in the womb (v.15)
•He would be in the power of Elijah (v. 17)
•His purpose would be to a people prepared for the Lord. (v. 17)