In the second half of Deuteronomy, Moses continues his review of God’s Law to Israel, ending with detailed warnings of the different consequences of obedience and disobedience in chapter 28, and his own terrible prophecy of their future in chapter 31:29 …For I know that after my death ye will utterly corrupt yourselves, and turn aside from the way which I have commanded you; and evil will befall you in the latter days. The book ends with the appointment of Joshua as leader of the nation to succeed Moses, with the powerful, prophetic, Song of Moses, and with the sad account of Moses’ death at the age of 120. Particularly note God’s long-term promise to gather the nation again. [30:2-3]
In Joshua we read of the Israelite conquest of the promised land, Canaan, under their God-appointed captain whose name the book bears. After a 7-year campaign the land was divided by lot to the tribes, but the members of the tribe of Levi [the priests and their helpers] were given no inheritance because ...the sacrifices of the LORD God of Israel made by fire are their inheritance.[Joshua 13:14] Instead, 48 cities, spread through the land, were appointed for them to live in so that all the population had access to their counsel. From among those cities, 6 were made cities of refuge to protect those who accidentally killed another man from the vengeance of the dead man’s family.
Ecclesiastes is one man’s judgement of the meaning of life, drawn from his own experience and his great wisdom. The writer was Solomon, King of Israel, who declared all life is wasted [vanity of vanities, all is vanity] unless it is lived to the glory of God …Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil. [Ecclesiastes 12:13-14]
Song of Solomon is an allegory of the love of God for those who faithfully seek him, presented as a human love story with a bridegroom and his bride who he describes in lovely words …Thou art all fair, my love; there is no spot in thee. [Song 4:7] The book has clear echoes in Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians 11:2, where he writes of espousing believers to one husband and presenting them as a chaste virgin to Christ, and it turns up again in Revelation 19 where being called to the marriage supper of the lamb is seen as a great blessing.
Durring May we read the first 23 chapters of the Prophet Isaiah: writings filled with promises of Messiah to come that are quoted everywhere in the Greek Scriptures - of the 260 chapters that make up the New Testament, 90% quote or allude to Isaiah. Most notably perhaps… Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us. [Matthew 1:22-23]
The New Testament readings during the month begin by completing the Acts of the Apostles, the Gospel writer, Luke’s account of the way Christian preachers turned the world upside down [Acts 17:6] in a few decades with the good news of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Beginning at Jerusalem with Peter and John, then Stephen and Philip, the first travelling preacher, it was spread across the Roman world by Barnabas, and particularly Paul, whose three great missionary journeys are recounted at breathtaking pace, ending with his journey to Rome. The cast of characters is large, and Luke’s paints riveting portraits of each of them with his inspired words.
Then we read a collection of the letters of Paul to believers in various ecclesias he founded during his missionary journeys…
Colossians was addressed to believers in Colosse, a city in southern Asia Minor, who were troubled by Judaizers seeking to bring them back into subjection to the Law of Moses… if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances [Colossians 2:20]. They also had issues with Gnostics and false Greek ideas of angel worship [2:18]. Paul’s letter declares the supremacy of the Lord Jesus Christ, who was made the centre of all things by God [1:16].
The twin letters to the Thessalonians are next. This gentile ecclesia was being persecuted and had trouble with fraudsters bearing forged letters, apparently from Paul, teaching that the return of Jesus had already happened. Paul clarified the meaning of the resurrection of the dead, soothing fears that members who had died were lost, and explained that the Lord’s return was some way off and would be preceded by a falling away from the truth [2 Thess 2:3]. Believers must hold the true faith and hope which would bring them peace [2 Thess 3:13,16].
In 1 & 2 Timothy Paul advises his young helper on maintaining the one true faith against false teachers. Timothy had been appointed leader of the ecclesia at Ephesus where Paul had forecast that grievous wolves would enter in among you, not sparing the flock [Acts 20:29] and this was already happening. In the second letter he speaks of the end of his own life: he had fought the good fight [4:7].
Titus had been left to look after the ecclesias in Crete: thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee,[1:5] but the Cretans had a bad reputation as liars, evil beasts and slow bellies [1:12] – Paul quotes Epimenides here, a Cretan poet. Believers must be different and bishops especially should be Godly men, free of the world’s vices. [1:6-9] Much stress is laid on sound doctrine [1:9; 2:2]
Philemon was an old friend of Paul’s in the faith. One of his slaves, Onesimus, had run away and had met Paul in Rome and been converted to the Christian faith. The letter asks the master to receive the slave again, not only as a slave but as a brother in Christ. The appeal is deeply personal and it appears that Paul must have converted Philemon also, for he says: If thou count me therefore a partner, receive him as myself. If he hath wronged thee, or oweth thee ought, put that on mine account; I Paul have written it with mine own hand, I will repay it: albeit I do not say to thee how thou owest unto me even thine own self besides. [1:17-19]
Towards the end of the month we begin reading the letter to the Hebrews: a general letter to Jewish believers who had problems with the idea that the Mosaic Law was no longer in force. It carefully argues the pre-eminence of Jesus Christ over everything except God himself. The keyword of the letter is better – better than the angels, better hope, better testament, better covenant, better promises and so on; its conclusion is that salvation is by faith in God’s promises centred in Christ Jesus, the Son of God.