By Mike Peek

Mark 11 Jesus came into Jerusalem in the manner of a triumphant king, riding on the back of a donkeys colt with the people shouting:  “Hosanna! BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD; Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David; Hosanna in the highest!” After looking around, Jesus departed with the twelve disciples for Bethany because it was already late. The next morning, as they departed Bethany for Jerusalem, Jesus was hungry and he cursed a fig tree that had no fruit. When he entered the city, Jesus drove the merchants out of the temple to the consternation of the chief priest and scribes; however, the crowd was astonished at his teaching. Every evening, Jesus and the twelve departed Jerusalem and every morning they returned. Peter noted that the fig tree that Jesus cursed had withered, so Jesus took opportunity to teach his disciples about having faith in prayer and forgiving others. The chief priests, scribes and elders challenged the authority by which Jesus t...

Mark 10 It was Jesus’ custom to teach when a crowd gathered. He taught that it is not God’s will that a wife and husband should separate, for he considers them one flesh. Later, his disciples questioned him about this and Jesus told them that to divorce and marry another is committing adultery. Jesus used the metaphor of how a child excepts as being the way we should except the kingdom of God. Jesus corrected a rich young man’s understanding of good and showed him that to repent and follow Jesus Christ is the only good that a man can do. It is impossible for people to enter the kingdom of God but with God all things are possible. Jesus promised eternal life to all who leave whatever is holding them back from following him. On the journey to Jerusalem, Jesus told his disciples about his coming arrest, trial, humiliation, suffering, death and resurrection three days later. James and John sought honor for themselves at Jesus right and left sides in his kingdom, but he told them, it is for...

Mark 9 Jesus said that some of the disciples would see the kingdom of God come with power. Peter, James and John saw Jesus transfigured into his glorified state and were told by the Father to listen to him before Moses and the prophets. Jesus commanded that they tell no one what that had seen until he rose from the dead. Jesus healed an epileptic boy but more than that, he helped a doubting father have faith. Jesus prepared his disciples for his death at the hands of men and his bodily resurrection on the third day. Jesus taught his disciples that the greatest in the kingdom of God is the one considered last among men because he is servant of all.  Jesus taught his disciples to not be particular regarding persons who think differently but love Jesus Christ and the followers of Christ. Jesus warned his disciples to not be the cause of a weak believers stumbling because stumbling leads to hell. Jesus commanded his disciples to have a purifying influence and be at peace with one anoth...

Numbers 36 The son of Machir of the tribe of Manasseh came to Moses with a concern regarding the land given to the daughters of Zelophehad. (cf. Num 27:5-7) He was concerned that if they married outside of the tribe, the inheritance would be transferred to another tribe and made permanent in the year of jubilee. Moses said, “Let them marry whom they wish; only they must marry within the family of the tribe of their father.” No inheritance shall pass from one tribe to another and if a daughter receives an inheritance she must marry within her own tribe. Thus the daughters of Zelophehad did as the Lord had commanded Moses, they married within the tribe of Manasseh and their inheritance remained in that tribe. The book concludes the commandments and ordinances of the Lord through Moses, given on the plains of Moab by the Jordan.  The Lord had promised to give the land of Canaan to the seed of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. (Gen 35:12) The Lord changed Jacob’s name to Israel (Gen 35:10) and...

Numbers 35 The Lord commanded through Moses, that the Sons of Israel give to the Levites cities to live in and pasture lands around the cities. There shall be forty-eight Levitical cities spread throughout all of Israel, of which, six shall be cities of refuge for the man-slayer to flee. The cities of refuge are for a man who has killed without intention to flee too until he stands trial before the congregation. The man who has killed by malice of forethought is a murder and shall be put to death by the avenger of the one murdered. If he is found innocent of murder by the congregation he is to be protected from the avenger in the city of refuge but cannot leave that city until the high priest dies. The murder is to be put to death but the one who killed without malice is to live in the city of refuge and no one shall take a bribe but make righteous judgment. The Levites belong to the Lord as representatives for all the first born sons, whom the Lord passed over, when he took the lives ...

Numbers 34 The Lord commanded Moses to give the sons of Israel instructions for apportioning the land of Canaan. He gave them instructions on the boarders. He appointed Eleazar the priest and Joshua son of Nun as the leaders responsible for apportioning the land among the tribes. The Lord through Moses appointed leaders for each tribe.  Aaron had already died and his son Eleazar had taken over as high priest. Moses would die before the sons of Israel entered the promise land and Joshua would take over from Moses. Caleb was one of the spies who forty years prior spied out the land of Canaan. Caleb and Jacob were the only two remaining from that generation. Joshua was to take over from Moses and Caleb was to be the leader for Judah, but all other tribes had new leadership. The Lord is the one who was giving them the land and expelling the inhabitance of the land. Therefore, the Lord decides the borders and appoints the leadership. Eleazar and Joshua are the main leaders appointed by ...

Numbers 32 Moses recorded every place from which they the started and camped during the forty year journey in the wilderness. The journey began at Rameses in the first month, on the fifteenth day of the first month; the day after the Passover, in the sight of all the Egyptians, while the Egyptians were burying their first born, whom the Lord had struck down. The Lord had also executed judgement on the Egyptian’s gods. There were many places that they camped at on the way but the stages of the journey include: Egypt to the wilderness of Sinai (vv. 5–15) From the wilderness to Ezion Geber (vv. 16–35) Ezion Geber to Kadesh in the wilderness of Zin (v. 36) Kadesh to Moab (vv. 37–49).  The forty years of wondering had ended at Moab. On the plains of Moab, the sons of Israel were poised to cross the Jordan and enter into the promise land but the leaders that led them for forty years (Moses and Aaron) would not enter with them. Thus, the Lord gave it to Moses to give one last bit of instr...