Teaching is a light; correction and discipline are the way to life.

The most important message I picked up from today’s readings overall is teaching is a light; correction and discipline are the way to life.

My primary takeaway from each of the passages was this:

• Numbers 19 & 20: The sacrifice of the red heifer for the purpose of generating ashes for the purification of those who become unclean. The journey from Kadesh to Moab, in which Miriam dies; the people complain that there is no water, and God tells Moses and Aaron what to do about it; Edom refuses to allow Israel to pass through their country; and Aaron dies. 
• Luke 24: The women visit the empty tomb, are greeted by angels, and tell the apostles what they are told. Jesus appears to his disciples and gives them his final instructions.
• Psalms 68: An epic poem summarizing the history and glory of Israel.
• Proverbs 6:Instructions and advice about how to comport ourselves as we move through the world in our daily lives.

In Numbers 19 and 20, we get yet more instructions about purification of those who are unclean. We also get to the beginning of the end of the long journey from Egypt to the Promised Land. Miriam dies. Aaron dies. The people rebel AGAIN. More drama.

After so many sad chapters in Luke about the end of Jesus’ life, today we get a happy chapter as some of the the things that he told his disciples would happen do indeed happen. He has arisen from the dead and visits them.

My favorite part of this chapter is the story of the road to Emmaus. Two of his followers are walking along from Jerusalem to Emmaus, talking about the sad events of recent days, when suddenly Jesus walks up beside them and asks them what they are talking about. They basically chastise him for being so ignorant that he has no idea about the biggest events that have ever occurred in Jerusalem. After they tell him everything that has happened, he calls them foolish for not recognizing that those events have fulfilled all of the old testament prophecy. As he gets to the end of his story, he vanishes, and suddenly they recognize him as Jesus, risen from the dead. They become so excited about this that they go right back to Jerusalem to tell the rest of his followers.

When they meet up with the disciples, Jesus appears amongst them and breaks bread with them, at which point everyone recognizes him, but they think he’s a ghost. He points out the holes in his hands and feet, and eats a piece of fish to prove that he’s actually flesh and blood.

He then gives them his final instructions, which are to go tell the good news to everyone they meet.

Coincidentally, today’s Psalm is an epic poem of Israel’s glory. How fitting that as we come to the end of Jesus’ work on Earth and his ascension that we should happen to land on a Psalm that summarizes the history of Israel.

Proverbs 6 could almost seem to be instructions to Jesus’ disciples about how to comport themselves as they head out to fulfill his great commission. They are definitely good advice for us about how to comport ourselves in our daily lives.

That’s what I got out of it. What did you get out of the readings today?

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This post is part of the series, “Read the Bible in a Year.”

To see other posts in this series, go to the Chronological Index of Read the Bible in a Year Posts.

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