March 8 – Why Do the Biblical Lists of Names Seem So Boring?

TODAY’S BIBLE READING CHALLENGE:
Numbers 10:1-11:23
Mark 14:1-21
Psalm 51:1-19
Proverbs 10:31-32

Numbers 10:26 — Ever thought about why lists of names seem unimportant? I worked on political campaigns in the past and heard that people would pour through mailers that had long lists of names. What’s the difference between the biblical lists of names and a campaign mailer? If you’re a voter, you may check a list of endorsers of an unfamiliar candidate to see if there is anyone you know or have heard of. Unfortunately, we don’t know or haven’t heard of the people on these biblical lists – Pagiel the son of Ocran, etc. – but these were real people who really lived and were recognized by God for their faithfulness in leadership.

Numbers 10:35 — This verse was inscribed in Latin on a silver gilt in the seventh century AD and was uncovered as part of the Staffordshire Hoard in England.

Numbers 11:1 — Patch the Pirate wrote a song about people who complain – “Wah, Wah, Wah, Call the Wahmbulance.”

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Mark 14:5 — I’ve thought about different events in church history where someone used their financial resources to make a significant gift for ministry, e.g. imagine if you owned a printing press and were friends with William Tyndale. This definitely makes the list. Talk about a legacy of giving (vs. 9), but it seems to have played into Judas’ different financial priorities (vs. 10)!

Psalm 51 — Patch the Pirate (Ron Hamilton) recorded a song based on Psalm 51:3 – “My Sin is Ever Before Me, Lord.” May we take our sin as seriously as David did.

Proverbs 10:31-32 — The mouth seems to be powerful and we’re not even to James 3 – the classic passage on the tongue! You can still listen to a Patch the Pirate song on the tongue.

Share how reading through the Bible has been a blessing to you! E-mail us at 2018bible@vcyamerica.org or call and leave a message at 414-885-5370.

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