March 24th, 25: Unveiling Sacred Boundaries: Joshua's Land Allotments and Paul's Apostolic Mission

Welcome to another episode of the Daily Radio Bible! I'm your host, Hunter, your Bible reading coach, here to guide you through our daily journey in the scriptures. Today marks day 83 of our biblical exploration, where we'll delve into the book of Joshua chapters 18 through 20 and then turn our attention to 1 Corinthians chapter 9. We'll uncover the sacred narrative of land allotment among the tribes of Israel and explore the profound teachings of the Apostle Paul. As we walk through these passages, we'll reflect on the manifold ways God's word speaks to our lives today, urging us to seize the blessings He has set before us and to live intentionally in His purpose. Join me as we embark on this spiritual journey together, allowing the Bible to be our guide and comfort. Let's dig deep into these passages and discover the rich wisdom and grace they have to offer us. Grab your Bible, settle in, and let's listen to God's voice together.

TODAY'S DEVOTION:

The lesson of the ox. In the Bible, we have these strange obscure laws like don't muzzle an ox while it's threshing grain from Deuteronomy 25. And yet within these strange and obscure sayings, there are layered implications. God is speaking to farmers about treating their animals with care, but he’s also picturing for us something more, something deeper. He’s including these things for us, not just for the farmer. He wants to teach us something, about the way we should treat those who serve or care for us, who work on our behalf, who even work on behalf of our soul.

So when we read through the Old Testament, it seems unrelated to our everyday experience, and it often does. I mean, how does muzzling an ox have anything to do with me? When we read these things, we shouldn’t dismiss them. We need to see them for what they are. Yes. He is speaking to a farmer. And, yes, Joshua is speaking to the tribes of Israel. But God is speaking to us too. It was written not just for them, but for us. God is pointing us to a deeper reading.

And sometimes, that’s an allegorical reading or an analogous reading. In fact, many of the church fathers felt that a “spiritual” reading of scripture was a higher form of engagement with the text. They welcome this creative allegorical interpretation of the text. Maybe God would have you chart out what he has in front of you. Maybe he would have you sit down and write out the boundaries of his blessings and gifts for you. Maybe you would find, as the children of Israel did, that there are unoccupied lands and gifts yet to be realized in your life. Maybe God is wanting you to chart them or to go out and seize them.

There’s a lesson in the ox. This whole Bible that we are reading is written for us. It’s not just about oxen and writing reports. It’s about what God has done for us. It’s a revelation of Him. It’s about the God who gave us his life and learning to seize and live in the reality of it. So maybe we can all chart out what God has actually done for us. And when we do that, let's go out and occupy it. Let's seize it. Let’s live in the reality of who we are in Christ.

That's the prayer that I have for my own soul. That's the prayer that I have for my family, for my wife and my daughters and my son. And that's the prayer that I have for you. May it be so.