Week 9, February 25 - March 3, 2018

Sunday, February 25, Numbers 19 - 21, Romans 6

• Was the water of cleansing described in Numbers 19 used to remove bacteria and was it just for a ceremonial use?
• What did Moses do in Numbers 20 that was so serious God told him that he wouldn't be allowed to enter the Promised Land?
• Jesus drew a comparison between the bronze snake in Numbers 21 and Himself (John 3:14-15).  What did Jesus have in common with the snake that Moses made?
• What does Paul mean in Romans 6:6 when he says, "our old self was crucified with him"?
• Paul says in Romans 6:11 to "count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God."  Are you doing this?
• In Romans 6:23, why does Paul refer to death as wages but eternal life as a gift?

Monday, February 26, Numbers 22 - 24, Psalm 25

• Balak said to Balaam in Numbers 22:6, "For I know that whoever you bless is blessed, and whoever you curse is cursed."  Where did Balak get that idea?
• If God told Balaam to go with those Balak sent in Numbers 22:20, why was God angry with Balaam when he went (Numbers 22:22)?
• What does Numbers 23:19 say about God?
• What was Balaam speaking about in Numbers 24:17?
• David wrote in Psalm 25:15, "My eyes are ever on the Lord."  What does he mean?  What do you need to do to keep your eyes ever on the Lord?

Tuesday, February 27, Numbers 25 - 27, Romans 7

• What caused the plague in Numbers 25?
• Had the nation grown or shrunk in the years between Numbers 1 and Numbers 26?
• How did God answer Moses's prayer in Numbers 27:16?
• Why does Paul tell us in Romans 7 that we died to the Law?
• Paul says in Romans 7:18, "I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out."  Is he describing his life as a Christian or what it was like before becoming a Christian?

Wednesday, February 28, Numbers 28 - 30, Psalm 26

• What do you think was the purpose of the offerings required by Numbers 28 and 29?
• In Numbers 30 why did God allow a vow made by a woman to be overruled by her father or husband?
• In Psalm 26:8 David wrote, "Lord, I love the house where you live, the place where your glory dwells."  What was it about God's house that David loved?

Thursday, March 1, Numbers 31 - 32, Romans 8 - 9

• Numbers 31:16 shows that after Balaam was unable to curse Israel in Numbers 22-24, he advised the Moabites in luring Israel into immorality in Numbers 25.  Why did Balaam alternate between obeying God and rebelling?
• Were the tribes who wanted to receive their inheritance east of the Jordan in Numbers 32 settling for something less than what God wanted for them?
• Paul says in Romans 8:6, "The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace."  What do you need to do to have your mind governed by the Spirit?
• Romans 8:18 says, "I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us."  Do God's promises of eternal glory outweigh whatever suffering you may face?
• What does it mean to be more than a conqueror (Romans 8:37)?
• According to Romans 9:32, how did Israel stumble over the stumbling stone? 

Friday, March 2, Numbers 33 - 34, Psalms 27 - 28

• Numbers 33 lists 41 places the Israelites camped over a 40 year period.  Did the Israelites spend more time travelling or camping during this time?
• Why was the Promised Land to be divided among only 9 1/2 tribes?
• In Psalm 27 David shows that he is free from fear.  Do you have this freedom?
• David wrote, "My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him." (Psalm 28:7)  When and how do you experience great joy in the Lord?

Saturday, March 3, Numbers 35 - 36, Romans 10

• In Numbers 35, for whose benefit were the cities of refuge set aside?
• Why did Zelophehad’s daughters marry their cousins?
• According to Romans 10:9, what must a person do to be saved?
• Why do people need to hear the gospel to be saved?

Week 8, February 18 - 24, 2018

Numbers gets its name from the counting of the people of Israel at the beginning and end of their 40 years in the wilderness.  But there is much more to this book than just numbers.  We see the results of obedience and disobedience, of faith and of doubt.  The New Testament tells us, "These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us."  (1 Corinthians 10:11)
In the book of Romans Paul gives us a straight forward explanation of the gospel.

Sunday, February 18, Numbers 1 - 3, Romans 1

• In Numbers 1, how many men who were able to serve in the army were counted?  Why weren't the Levites included?
• In Numbers 2 God told Israel how to arrange their camp.  What was in the center of the camp?
• In Numbers 3, the Levites were counted, but they counted all males that were a month old or more.  Why did the count of the other tribes only include males who were 20 or more years old?
• In Romans 1, why did Paul say he wanted to visit the Romans personally?
• Why does Paul call the gospel "the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes"?
• In Romans 1:19-20 Paul says that God has made plain His own qualities through the things He created.  Why then are there people who say they don't believe in God?

Monday, February 19, Numbers 4 - 6, Psalm 22

• Why were the Kohathites required to carry the furnishings of the tabernacle, but not allowed to touch them or look at them?
• Numbers 5 includes a lie detector test for a woman suspected of being unfaithful.  Why was this only applied to women?
• Numbers 6 gives the rules for a Nazirite vow, a vow of separation for a period of time.  Numbers 6:2 shows that this vow was voluntary and either a man or woman could make the vow.  This chapter doesn't explain who should do this.  Why would a person want to make a vow of separation?
• Several verses in Psalm 22 make us think of Jesus on the cross.  What would prompt David to write this?

Tuesday, February 20, Numbers 7 - 9, Romans 2

• In Numbers 7 the Levites were given carts to help them transport the tabernacle.  Why weren't the Kohathites given carts?
• According to Numbers 8, in what age range did the Levites serve at the tabernacle?
• What was a person to do if they couldn't celebrate the Passover because they were unclean at the time?
• Why does Romans 2 tell us not to pass judgement on someone else?

Wednesday, February 21, Numbers 10 - 12, Psalm 23

• When were the trumpets in Numbers 10 to be used?
• According to Numbers 10, the Gershonites and Merarites were to travel after the first three tribes of Israel and the Kohathites were to travel after the next three.  The Gershonites and Merarites were to have the tabernacle set up before the Kohathites arrived.  How long do you think it took to set up the tabernacle?
• In Numbers 11, why were the complaints of the people about their hardships a serious issue?
• Why did Miriam become leprous?
• In Psalm 23 David pictures himself as a sheep and the Lord as his shepherd.  What do you need to do to have the peace, provision, and protection that David describes in this psalm?

Thursday, February 22, Numbers 13 - 14, Romans 3 - 4

• Why did Caleb have a different opinion from other spies in Numbers 13?
• In Numbers 14 who did God say would die in the wilderness?  Who would be allowed to enter the Promised Land?
• According to Romans 3, who is guilty of sin?  How can we be justified?
• What does it mean to be "justified by faith apart from the works of the law"? (Romans 3:28)
• What is Paul explaining in Romans 4 when he uses Abraham as an illustration?

Friday, February 23, Numbers 15 - 16, Psalm 24

• Numbers 15:30 says that someone who sins defiantly must be cut off from the people of Israel.  What does it mean to be defiant?  How would a person be cut off?
• Why did people oppose Moses and Aaron in Numbers 16?
• Psalm 24:1 says, "The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it."  How does knowing this affect the way you think, live, and pray?

Saturday, February 24, Numbers 17 - 18, Romans 5

• What was the purpose of the budding of Aaron's staff in Numbers 17?
• What is the meaning of God's statement to Aaron in Numbers 18:20, "I am your share and your inheritance among the Israelites"?
• In Numbers 18:26, why did God have the Levites pay a tithe on the tithe they received?
• In Romans 5 Paul says we glory in our sufferings.  Why would we?
• Paul says in Romans 5:8, "While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."  Do you look at others, including those who may be far from God, as people for whom Jesus died?

Week 7, February 11 - 17, 2018

The second half of Leviticus has more instructions for priests, but also includes commands for the whole nation similar to some found in Exodus.  In chapter 26 God gives the nation promises for obedience and warnings for disobedience.  The last few chapters of Matthew describe the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus.

Sunday, February 11, Leviticus 15 - 16, Matthew 25

• Leviticus 15:31 says, "You must keep the Israelites separate from things that make them unclean."  Was God primarily concerned with good hygiene to keep the people healthy or with keeping pure in the sight of God to maintain a good relationship with Him?
• According to Leviticus 16 how often was the priest to enter the Most Holy Place to make atonement for the people?
• In Matthew 25 Jesus told the parable of the 10 virgins and concluded by saying, "Therefore keep watch..."  What should you be doing to keep watch since Jesus said no one knows the day or the hour of His coming?
• In Matthew 25:40 Jesus said, "whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me."  What opportunities do you have to help the "least of these"?

Monday, February 12, Leviticus 17 - 18, Psalm 19

• Leviticus 17:11 says, "it is the blood that makes atonement for one’s life."  What does this mean?
• Leviticus 18 forbids sexual relationships with close relatives and is specific about which relatives are too close.  Some of these are blood relationships which could be forbidden to prevent inbreeding.  However, some of the relationships are not blood relationships.  What was God's purpose in forbidding these?
• The commands in Leviticus 18 begin and end with the statement, "I am the Lord your God."  Why is it important to accept God's authority in matters of sexual morality?
• The first half of Psalm 19 begins with, "The heavens declare the glory of God."  The second half begins with, "The law of the Lord is perfect, refreshing the soul."  What can you learn about God from His creation?  What can you only learn from His revealed Word?

Tuesday, February 13, Leviticus 19 - 20, Matthew 26

• Leviticus 19:9-10 instructs people not to reap to the edges of a field, go over it a second time, or gather grapes that have fallen.  What principles in these verses are relevant to the way you manage your life?
• Leviticus 19:18 tells people not to seek revenge or bear a grudge.  How should a person let go of the desire for revenge if they have been wronged?
• Leviticus 20 prescribes severe punishment for several offenses.  Why were these punishments so severe?
• In Matthew 26:6-13 a woman poured expensive perfume on Jesus.  Why did the disciples think this was a waste?
• Why did Peter think he would never disown Jesus?
• When Jesus was praying in Gethsemane, why were His disciples unable to stay awake and pray with Him?

Wednesday, February 14, Leviticus 21 - 22, Psalm 20

• Why wouldn't God allow a descendant of Aaron who had a defect serve as a priest (Leviticus 21)?
• In Leviticus 22:32 God says, "I am the Lord, who made you holy."  What does it mean to be holy?
• David wrote in Psalm 20:7, "Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God."  In America today, how would you complete the statement, "Some trust in..."?  What do you need to do keep your trust focused on God?

Thursday, February 15, Leviticus, 23 - 24, Matthew 27

• What purpose do you think God had in the annual festivals He required in Leviticus 23?
• Who was to eat the bread set before the Lord in Leviticus 24?
• If Judas was "seized with remorse" (Matthew 27:3) why didn't he repent and find forgiveness rather than committing suicide?
• If Jesus planned to go to the cross and was silent when accused, why did Pilate's wife have a dream and warn her husband?  Was that dream from God?
• Why would Pilate wash his hands, but then turn Jesus over to be crucified?
• Why was the curtain in the temple torn in two (Matthew 27:51)?

Friday, February 16, Leviticus 25 - 26, Psalm 21

• Why were Israelites commanded not to sow or prune during the seventh year.  Was this for the benefit of the people or of the land?
• In Leviticus 25, the Lord commands three times that Israelites that sell themselves because they have become poor are not to be treated ruthlessly (vs. 43, 46, and 53).  What would a person need to do to obey this command to not be ruthless?
• What promises did God make in Leviticus 26 to the nation if they were obedient?
• Psalm 21:6 says, "Surely you have granted him unending blessings and made him glad with the joy of your presence."  What do you need to do to have the joy of God's presence?

Saturday, February 17, Leviticus 27, Matthew 28

• Leviticus 27 establishes rules for things that people have dedicated to the Lord through a vow.  Why would a person make such a vow?  Why would the Lord want to hold them to it?
• In Matthew 28, why were the chief priests and elders willing to pay the soldiers to lie about what happened to Jesus?  Since Jesus had risen from the dead, shouldn't they have wanted to repent?
• Where did Jesus say to go make disciples?

Week 6, February 4 - 10, 2018

Leviticus is not the easiest book in the Bible to read and apply because much of it explains how Old Testament priests and Levites were to do their job.  When reading Leviticus it is helpful to keep in mind the New Testament Scripture Hebrews 10:1, "The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming—not the realities themselves. For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship."  The sacrifices made at the tabernacle reminded Israel that God is holy and we are sinful, but that God makes a way for us to draw near to Him.  The New Testament teaches us, "Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus...let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings."  (Hebrews 10:19, 22)

Because Psalm 18 is longer than most Psalms, we have only one Psalm in the schedule this week.

In Matthew 24 Jesus tells us what to expect in the end times.

Sunday, February 4, Leviticus 1 - 2, Matthew 21

• Leviticus 1:3 and 1:10 required that burnt offerings be "without defect."  Why would a defect matter if an animal was just going to be burned up?
• According to Leviticus 2:13, what did all grain offerings have to include?
• When Jesus entered Jerusalem in Matthew 21, why were the crowds so enthusiastic?
• In Matthew 21:22 Jesus taught, "If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer."  How can we develop the faith that Jesus was telling us we can have?
• In Matthew 21:33-40 Jesus told a parable of tenants who were behaving as though they were owners.  What attitudes should we have toward our lives and our possessions if we think of ourselves as tenants and the Lord as the owner?

Monday, February 5, Leviticus 3, Psalm 18

• Leviticus 3:16-17 says, "All the fat is the Lord’s. This is a lasting ordinance for the generations to come, wherever you live: You must not eat any fat or any blood."  Why do you think fat and blood were forbidden?
• After talking about God delivering him from his enemies, David wrote, "He brought me out into a spacious place," (Psalm 18:19).  A spacious place would be somewhere he wouldn't fear ambush and would know that attack from an enemy is not imminent.  What would give you the feeling of being in a spacious place?
• David wrote in Psalm 18:27, "You save the humble but bring low those whose eyes are haughty."  What does it mean to be humble?  Why does the Lord save the humble?

Tuesday, February 6, Leviticus 4 - 5, Matthew 22

• Why are the sin offerings in Leviticus 4 different for a priest, a leader, and a member of the community?
• Leviticus 5:7 makes provision for someone who is unable to bring a lamb.  The New International Version says, "Anyone who cannot afford a lamb..."  The King James Version says, "And if he be not able to bring a lamb..."  If God tells you to give something, how do you determine if you can "afford" to?
• Jesus told a parable in Matthew 22:1-14 that describes the invitation to the king's banquet going out to all, "the bad as well as the good."  When you look around at people you know, are you aware that the Lord wants them all invited to come to Him?
• In Matthew 22:21 Jesus said to give, "God what is God’s."  What are we supposed to be giving to God?
• In Matthew 22:29, what did Jesus say was the root reason for the Sadducees error?

Wednesday, February 7, Leviticus 6 - 7, Matthew 23

• According to Leviticus 6 when a person makes restitution for cheating their neighbor, how much do they need to add to the amount they are restoring?
• Leviticus 7:18 says, "If any meat of the fellowship offering is eaten on the third day, the one who offered it will not be accepted."  God was very specific about what made an offering acceptable.  However, Hosea wrote, "For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings."  Jesus quoted from Hosea in Matthew 9:13.  If God is more interested in our heart than on sacrifices, why was God so specific in telling the priests how to offer sacrifices?
• Jesus describes the root of hypocrisy in Matthew 23:5, "Everything they do is done for people to see."  How can you avoid worrying about what people think and live your life only for the Lord?
• Jesus rebuked the teachers of the Law and the Pharisees.  While they were diligent in giving a tenth even of their spices, Jesus said they neglected justice, mercy and faithfulness.  What opportunities do you have for exercising justice, mercy and faithfulness?
• In Matthew 23:37 Jesus said, "how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing."  What do you need to do to allow Jesus to "gather" you in the way He describes?

Thursday, February 8, Leviticus 8 - 9, Matthew 24

• How long did the ordination of Aaron and his sons last in Leviticus 8?
• In Leviticus 9 how did the glory of the Lord appear to all the people?
• In Matthew 24 what did Jesus say would happen before the end comes?
• According to Jesus, who knows the day and hour of His return?
• In Matthew 24:42 Jesus commands us to keep watch.  What does this mean?  Are you doing it?

Friday, February 9, Leviticus 10 - 12

• Why were Nadab and Abihu's actions in Leviticus 10 so wrong that they died?
• What was the purpose of the dietary restrictions in Leviticus 11?
• Why was the time required for purification after childbirth, described in Leviticus 12, longer if the baby was a girl than if it was a boy?

Saturday, February 10, Leviticus 13 - 14

• Leviticus 13 provides rules for examining skin conditions and designating people as unclean who have contagious skin diseases.  Why were people with skin diseases required to live outside the camp?
• After a person had been healed of a skin disease, why did they still need to go through a ceremonial cleansing and present sacrifices, as described in Leviticus 14?