DEUTERONOMY 5-6:
Yesterday we heard Moses expound on the most important command to never worship any idol or any god other than the Lord. He based this on the Israelite's experience of hearing God's voice and not seeing his form. Moses was realistic and knew that Israel would eventually leave God, and that God would judge them. He gave them this amazing promise: "from there (where you have been exiled by your enemies) you will search again for the LORD your God. And if you search for him with all your heart and soul, you will find him."

PSALM 52:
This is another psalm from David's experiences. He was betrayed by a man called Doeg, and then that man killed priests who had done nothing wrong. This psalm stands as testimony that God notices such things and will eventually bring just punishment for all injustice.

ACTS 9a:
In chapter 8, we heard the fantastic way the Lord led Philip. The Lord wanted a certain Ethiopian high official to be saved. The traditional church in Ethiopia still traces its history to that official. And Philip had the privilege of being miraculously teleported to a new location. He continued from there in preaching the Gospel, all the way to Caesarea, which is where we find him later.

NLT Translation notes:
Ps. 52:9 I will praise you forever, O God, for what you have done. I will trust in your good [reputation//name] in the presence of your faithful people.
====
Acts 9:14 And he is authorized by the leading priests to arrest everyone who calls upon your name [here//0]."
21 All who heard him were amazed [and asked//0]. "Isn't this the same man who caused such devastation among Jesus' followers in Jerusalem?" [0//they asked]. "And didn't he come here to arrest them and take them in chains to the leading priests?"
25 So during the night, some of [his fellow/the other] believers lowered him in a large basket through an opening in the city wall.
34 Peter said to him, "Aeneas, [Christ Jesus//Jesus Christ] heals you! Get up, and roll up your sleeping mat!" And he was healed instantly.

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

DEUTERONOMY 4:
Yesterday Moses gave his personal account of how God led the people of Israel in not attacking three nations, but finally led them in attacking two kings. Moses pleaded with God to allow him to cross the Jordan into the promised land, but God refused to let him.

PSALM 51:
This is one of the most quoted and most famous psalms. David's sincere and broken-hearted prayer for forgiveness is a pattern for all of us to follow.

ACTS 8b:
Yesterday we heard how the believers in Jerusalem were scattered by a wave of persecution following Stephen's martyrdom. Philip (the deacon, not the apostle) is given the wonderful privilege to turn many to the Lord in Samaria. My own thought about why the Holy Spirit was not given when the believers were baptized is because Peter really was given the "keys to the kingdom." Peter was present when the Jewish people received the Holy Spirit, and when the despised mixed-breed Samaritans received the Holy Spirit, and when non-Jews received that same gift.

NLT Translation notes:
Ps. 51:7 [Please perform the ritual of purification over me to cleanse me from my sins//Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean;]
wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
and make me willing to obey you [once again//0].
15 Unseal my lips, O Lord,
that my mouth may praise you [again/0].
====
Acts 8:12 But now the people believed Philip's message of Good News concerning the Kingdom of God and [about Jesus as the Christ or Messiah//the name of Jesus Christ]. As a result, many men and women were baptized.
16 The Holy Spirit had not yet come upon any of them, [although/for] they had [0/only] been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
28 and he was now returning. Seated in his carriage, he was reading aloud from the book of the prophet Isaiah [while a driver was driving the carriage//0].
30 Philip ran over and heard the man reading [aloud/0] from the prophet Isaiah. Philip asked, "Do you understand what you are reading?"

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

DEUTERONOMY 2-3:
Yesterday we heard Moses preaching and confronting the people of Israel about their bickering and their incredible stubbornness in refusing to believe the Lord's commands, and their refusal to believe God's loving intent in his commands.

PSALM 50:
Remember what Moses said yesterday in Deuteronomy? This Psalm tells us what God wants most from his people.

ACTS 8:
Yesterday we heard the conclusion of Stephen's speech. He confronted the high council with the indisputable fact that the people of Israel had always refused to follow what God told them and killed the prophets. "They (our ancestors) even killed the ones who predicted the coming of the Righteous One—the Messiah whom you betrayed and murdered." Shortly after saying that, Stephen died as Saul watched.

NLT Translation notes:
Ps. 50:14 Make thankfulness your sacrifice to [Me, your] God,
and keep the vows you made to [Me,/0] the Most High.
23 But giving thanks is a sacrifice that truly honors me.
If you keep to my path,
I will reveal to you the salvation [given by Me, your God!//of your God]."
====
Acts 8:12 But now the people believed Philip's message of Good News concerning the Kingdom of God and [about Jesus as the Christ or Messiah//the name of Jesus Christ]. As a result, many men and women were baptized.
16 The Holy Spirit had not yet come upon any of them, [although/for] they had [0/only] been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
28 and he was now returning. Seated in his carriage, he was reading aloud from the book of the prophet Isaiah [while a driver was driving the carriage//0].
30 Philip ran over and heard the man reading [aloud/0] from the prophet Isaiah. Philip asked, "Do you understand what you are reading?"

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

DEUTERONOMY 1:
Yesterday in the conclusion of Numbers, we learned that each clan's allotment of land must stay within that clan, even when parcels of land could be inherited by daughters.

Mears says, "Deuteronomy is a book of remembrance. The name 'Deuteronomy' means "second law," which indicates that the law is repeated. Moses did this to remind the people what God had done for them and what they were to do to serve Him when they reached the Promised Land. This book omits the things that relate to the priests and Levites but includes the things that the people should know. And the happenings in this book would cover only about two months, including the 30 days of mourning for Moses."

I love this book because it seems to be a transcription of Moses' last sermons to the people. Imagine sitting at the feet of the aged and revered leader and hearing him tell what is most important! I love the way this book frequently records Moses speaking in the first person.

PSALM 49:
This powerfully thought-provoking psalm shares important wisdom which should help us be content with whatever our situation is in this life. Note the parallels with Jesus' teaching.

ACTS 7:
Yesterday we heard the first part of Stephen's speech. Shephen was accused of two things: "This man is always speaking against the holy Temple and against the law of Moses. We have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy the Temple and change the customs Moses handed down to us." So far it is clear that Stephen was NOT teaching against the laws or customs Moses gave the people of Israel.

NLT Translation notes:
Ps. 49:14 Like sheep, they are led to the grave,
where death will be their shepherd.
In the morning the godly will rule over them.
[The bodies of those so-called wise people//Their bodies] will rot in the grave,
far from their grand estates.
====
Acts 7:37 "Moses himself told the people of Israel, 'God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from among your own people.
[That Prophet is Jesus!]
42b 'Was it to me you were bringing sacrifices and offerings during those forty years in the wilderness, Israel?
43 No, you carried your pagan gods—
the shrine of Molech,
the star of your god Rephan,
and the images you made to worship them.
[This is not to be taken literally. This is hyperbole which highlights that the people were not faithful to the tabernacle.]
48 However, the Most High doesn't live in temples made by human hands. As [God said through a prophet,//the prophet says,]
56 And he [said/told] to them, "Look, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing in the place of honor at God's right hand!"

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

NUMBERS 36:
Yesterday we heard about the boundaries for the nation of Israel, the 12 clan leaders appointed by the Lord, and about cities set aside for the Levites and cities of refuge— to protect from unjust prosecution of murder.

PSALM 48:
This psalm praises God for Jerusalem and shows that Jerusalem is a reflection of God's glory. It is clear that more than the earthly Jerusalem is the topic. God has prepared a city for us!

ACTS 7a:
Yesterday in chapter 6 we heard how grumbling in the ever-expanding group of believers in Jerusalem required that seven helpers (the first deacons) be appointed. (The word 'deacon' comes directly from a verb in Greek that means 'to serve'.) One of them, Stephen, became the object of controversy with the Greek-speaking Jews. Before the council, his face shone with radiance like that of an angel. The false witnesses made two accusations against Stephen, and today we hear his defence against the first of them.

NLT Translation notes:
Acts 7:37 "Moses himself told the people of Israel, 'God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from among your own people.
[That Prophet is Jesus!]
42b 'Was it to me you were bringing sacrifices and offerings during those forty years in the wilderness, Israel?
43 No, you carried your pagan gods—
the shrine of Molech,
the star of your god Rephan,
and the images you made to worship them.
[This is not to be taken literally. This is hyperbole which highlights that the people were not faithful to the tabernacle.]
48 However, the Most High doesn't live in temples made by human hands. As [God said through a prophet,//the prophet says,]
56 And he [said/told] to them, "Look, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing in the place of honor at God's right hand!"

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

NUMBERS 34-35:
Yesterday we heard the listing of the stages of the nomadic journey of the people of Israel. God began giving instructions for the time when the people would enter the promised land.

PSALM 47:
This is a jubilant song of praise. This has been a special Psalm for our family. We remember singing this whole Psalm with one of our favorite churches. And when we were in Indonesia, they made a recording and we listened to it many times.

ACTS 6:
Yesterday we heard Peter and the apostles give fearless testimony before the Jewish high council. They were beaten, but counted it an honor.

NLT Translation notes:
Acts 6:5 Everyone liked this idea, and they chose the following [men//0]: Stephen (a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit), Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas of Antioch (an earlier convert to the Jewish faith).
10 None of them could stand against the wisdom [given by the Holy Spirit//and the Spirit], with which Stephen spoke.

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

I am releasing this episode number 12 of Joysightings at the DBRP feed in order to let you know about my recordings of Tales of the Kingdom and Tales of the Restoration, by David and Karen Mains. You can find the other chapters of these two books at Joysightings.info.

It was perhaps in 1989 that a precious friend sent the two books to us, when we were living in the rainforest of Papua, Indonesia. Our children were at just the right ages to enjoy the full impact of these stories. It is a joy for me now to share these with you also. Each book consists of 12 chapters written as allegories. You will enjoy the deep symbolic meanings that underlie the story of characters with names like Caretaker, Mercy, and Hero.

At the Joysightings.info site, the first chapter of Tales of the Kingdom is episode 12, and the first chapter of Tales of the Resistance is episode 25.

When I made the podcast recordings, I was reading from the first edition of the two books of Tales, published in 1983 and 1986 by David C. Cook. The books have beautiful color pictures (one per chapter) by Jack Stockman. I tried repeatedly to reach out to David C. Cook to ask for permission to share these recordings on my podcast. In 2019 I reached out to David and Karen Mains via their Facebook page, and David answered giving his permission for my podcasts. Now in 2023 I discovered that the copyright for the books now belongs to Mainstay Ministries. In February I attempted to more formally re-confirm the Mains' permission for my podcasts. However I found that the Mainstay Ministries website is not currently working and both numbers given for contacting them have been disconnected. If any of you listeners can connect me with the Mains family, I would appreciate it very much.

The two sites I find for Mainstay Ministries are
https://www.sundaysolutions.com/
https://kingdomtales.com/

NUMBERS 33:
Yesterday we heard how the tribes of Gad, Reuben, and half the tribe of Manasseh promised to go ahead of their fellow Israelites into battle on the west side of the Jordan, because they were receiving land on the east side of the Jordan. In hindsight, I must say this was not a great idea. Because of how often all the men were required to go to Jerusalem for the holy assemblies, it must have been very easy to not attend those events and grow increasingly far from the Lord.

PSALM 46:
This was the inspiration for the hymn A Mighty Fortress Is Our God. The word translated by the GNT as 'shelter' in v.1 can also mean 'refuge'. And the word translated as 'refuge' in verses 7 and 11 can also mean 'secure height'.

ACTS 5b:
Yesterday we heard the sobering story of Ananias and Sapphira. Then, just when God was using the apostles to perform many miracles, they were arrested.

GNT Translation notes:
Acts 5:28 "We gave you strict orders not to teach [by the authority//in the name] of this man," he said; "but see what you have done! You have spread your teaching all over Jerusalem, and you want to make us responsible for his death!"

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.