The Good Book Club: Week 16
Finishing our first encounter with Jesus and then back to the Promised Land
This Week
We are reading:
John 13-21
Joshua 1-15
Proverbs 6:12-35, Psalm 55, Psalm 58, Psalm 61, Psalm 12
Summary
We wrap up the Book of John this week, completing our first testimony of Jesus’ life on earth.
This is a heartbreaking read even though we know what’s going to happen. After everything we have read so far, God’s love for us is so clear. Humanity’s sinfulness and ungratefulness stands in stark contrast to His mercy, underscored by the fact that we alone didn’t create this fallen world — we find ourselves at the crossroads of almost unfathomable cosmic spiritual warfare.
And here I am, complaining that people keep stealing my content on the internet.
We’ll catch up with John again at the end of the year when we read his letters and his final Revelation.
But now, back to the desert.
This week we begin the Book of Joshua. Joshua takes over where Moses left off, leading the Israelites into the promised land and beginning to conquer the land and take over the cities.
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Here is the daily breakdown from our annual plan:
Day 103 — Monday, 4/13 — John 13-15, Proverbs 6:12-19
Day 104 — Tuesday, 4/14 — John 16-18, Proverbs 6:20-24
Day 105 — Wednesday, 4/15 — John 19-21, Proverbs 6:25-35
Day 106 — Thursday, 4/16 — Joshua 1-4, Psalm 55
Day 107 — Friday, 4/17 — Joshua 5-7, Psalm 58
Day 108 — Saturday, 4/18 — Joshua 8-11, Psalm 61
Day 109 — Sunday, 4/19 — Joshua 12-15, Psalm 12
Day 103 — Monday, 4/13 — John 13-15, Proverbs 6:12-19
Jesus washes the disciples feet, exhibiting the radical humility and love our God has for humanity
Jesus knows what is coming and declares “One of you will betray me.”
Jesus states that He is the new law — the Way, the Truth, the Life
Jesus describes the Trinity and the coming of the Holy Spirit in John 14:15, “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you for ever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him; you know him for he dwells with you, and will be in you.”
If the world hates you, remember that it hated me first.
John 15:18
Day 104 — Tuesday, 4/14 — John 16-18, Proverbs 6:20-24
Jesus is arrested in the garden of Gethsemane
Peter slashes off the right ear of Malchus, one of the guards (in the other gospels, Peter is not named specifically to protect him, but it’s believed this gospel was written after Peter’s death)
Peter denies Jesus 3 times before the rooster crows, as predicted
Jesus is taken to Pontius Pilate
Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.
John 16:33
Day 105 — Wednesday, 4/15 — John 19-21, Proverbs 6:25-35
Jesus’ crucifixion is ordered and the soldiers put a crown of thorns on him, mocking him
Pontius Pilate has a complicated presence — he reluctantly orders Jesus’ crucifixion, and he repeatedly refers to Jesus as King of the Jews, even putting a “King of the Jews” sign on the cross in multiple languages. When asked to change it to He said, I am King of the Jews, Pontius said, “No. I wrote what I wrote.”
When Jesus sees Mary from the cross, he says to John, “Behold, your mother” indicating John is to take care of Mary after Jesus’ death (note: it’s been asked if Jesus had brothers, Jesus likely would not have assigned this responsibility to John if he had brothers or if Joseph was still alive, it wouldn’t have been proper or necessary in Jewish culture)
After Jesus’ death, one of the soldiers pierced his side and blood and water pour out, signifying the eucharist and baptism and fulfilling earlier scriptures in the Old Testament
Mary Magdalene comes to the tomb and finds it empty. She goes and tells Peter and John, who both run to the tomb (but John infamously runs faster).
Jesus appears to Mary outside the tomb, and to all the disciples later on
Doubting Thomas earns his name
John recounts a few other miracles, but states that it’s impossible to write down all the things Jesus did because the world could not contain the books that would be written
Day 106 — Thursday, 4/16 — Joshua 1-4, Psalm 55
The Israelites finally enter the Promised Land!!
Spies are sent into Jericho, and they meet Rahab who helps them take over the city, sparing her family
Joshua leads them across the Jordan River in a moment that echos the crossing of the Red Sea
Day 107 — Friday, 4/17 — Joshua 5-7, Psalm 58
The sons of Israel are circumcised because they weren’t circumcised on the way
The Israelites conquer Jericho, their first Canaanite city, with trumpets alone
After Jericho, Israel is defeated at Ai — and it is revealed that Achan of the tribe of Judah took forbidden things from Jericho, resulting in their defeat
Day 108 — Saturday, 4/18 — Joshua 8-11, Psalm 61
After repentance, God grants victory at Ai
Joshua renews the covenant by reading the Law to all Israel and engraving a copy of it onto stone
The Gibeonites deceive Israel into making a treaty with them to spare their lives
God fights for Israel in major battles, even causing the sun to stand still - an event the Book of Joshua mentions is written in the long lost Book of Jasher (the modern version may or may not be a medieval forgery)
Day 109 — Sunday, 4/19 — Joshua 12-15, Psalm 12
We encounter yet another Biblical listicle: a record of all the kings defeated by Israel
The Promised Land begins to be divided among the Israelite tribes
Caleb, from the tribe of Judah, receives his inheritance for his faithfulness as the only other person besides Joshua who fled Egypt and made it into the promised land
Tune in next week to find out what happens next on Keeping Up With The Israelites!
