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Week 14 — Jan 5-11: (Josh 1-23)

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God tells Joshua to be brave and take Moses’ place. Two spies slip into Jericho; Rahab hides them, trusts Israel’s God, and ties a scarlet rope so her home is spared. The Jordan stops, the nation crosses on dry ground, and twelve stones mark the spot.  At Gilgal the men are circumcised and Passover is kept. For six days the army circles Jericho once each dawn behind the ark, trumpets blaring yet voices silent. On the seventh day they march seven times, shout, and the walls crash; only Rahab’s family survives.  Achan steals devoted goods, so Israel loses at Ai until his sin is judged; an ambush then captures the town. The Gibeonites trick Joshua into a treaty and soon need help when five Amorite kings attack. Israel marches all night, hailstones smash the enemy, and Joshua cries out to the Lord, and God causes the sun and moon to stand still so Israel can finish the battle. Northern kings gather at Merom but are routed, and the land rests.  Joshua d...

Week 13 — Dec 29-Jan 4: (Deut 12-34)

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✝️ Deuteronomy continued ✝️ Deuteronomy is Moses’ farewell address to Israel as they camp on Moab’s plains, poised to cross the Jordan. Their tents flutter beneath hot desert winds as they gather to listen. He rehearses the forty-year trek from Sinai, recalling rebellions, manna, serpents, and victories so the new generation will trust God and avoid past failures. Moses restates the covenant, adapting its commands for settled life in farms and villages rather than tents. At the center stands the Shema: “Hear, O Israel… love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and strength.”  Laws stress justice for the poor, honest trade, mercy toward refugees, and purity in worship. Annual festivals and sabbath years weave gratitude and rest into everyday rhythms, while cities of refuge curb blood feuds. Moses paints a vivid choice: blessing and life for loyalty, curse and exile for idolatry. He writes the law on a scroll, commissions Joshua to lead, and teaches a cautionary song the peo...

Week 12 — Dec 22-28: (Num 25-36, Deut 1-11)

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End of Numbers recap... 5 | A New Generation (Numbers 26–32) Another census counts the next generation, marking a new beginning. Joshua is appointed as Moses’ successor, preparing to lead. God sets laws on vows, calling Israel to keep their promises. God grants Zelophehad’s daughters inheritance rights, shaping Israel’s land laws. God gives laws for life in the Promised Land, ensuring Israel’s faithfulness. 6 | Final Instructions (Numbers 33–36) God recounts Israel’s journey and commands them to drive out Canaan’s inhabitants. The book ends with Israel on the brink of the Promised Land, ready to enter under Joshua’s leadership.  ✝️ Deuteronomy ✝️  Deuteronomy is Moses’ farewell address to Israel as they camp on Moab’s plains, poised to cross the Jordan. Their tents flutter beneath hot desert winds as they gather to listen. He rehearses the forty-year trek from Sinai, recalling rebellions, manna, serpents, and victories so the new generation will trust ...

Week 11 — Dec 15-21: (Num 2-24)

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Summary: Numbers opens in the Sinai wilderness with God instructing Moses to count the tribes. The census lists every able man for battle and sets the camp around the tent of meeting, showing order in the middle of chaos. Levites are set apart to guard worship, and a silver trumpet blast will move the nation when God’s cloud rises. Yet the march quickly reveals Israel’s heart. The people crave Egypt’s food, complain about hardship, and even Miriam and Aaron (Moses’s siblings) speak against Moses. God answers with fire, quail, and temporary leprosy.  At the border of Canaan, twelve spies scout the land. Ten see giants and spread fear, two recall God’s promise. The crowd chooses fear, so God turns them back to wander forty years until that unbelieving generation fades.  Rebellion erupts again: Korah challenges Aaron, the earth swallows his camp; later Moses strikes a rock in anger and forfeits his own entry into the land. Venomous serpents bite the grumbl...

Week 10 — Dec 8-14: (Lev 6-27, Num 1)

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Leviticus picks up with Israel camped at Mount Sinai, the newly built tent of meeting glowing at the center. God now speaks from that tent, teaching how rescued people can live close to His holy presence. First come five types of sacrifices that cover sin, express thanks, and keep fellowship alive.  Aaron and his sons are ordained as priests, yet two sons die for careless fire, warning that worship is never casual. Laws on clean and unclean animals, childbirth, skin disease, and mold guard everyday life, showing that holiness touches meals, bodies, and homes.  The Day of Atonement stands out: one goat is slain for sin, another carries guilt into the wilderness, symbolically resets the camp each year, foreshadowing Christ’s definitive atonement. Next, moral commands defend life, marriage, and justice, calling Israel to love neighbors as themselves.  The sacred calendar lists Sabbath, Passover, Firstfruits, Weeks, Trumpets, the Day of Atonement, and ...

Week 9 — Dec 1-7: (Exo 23-40, Lev 1-5)

✝️ This is a continuation of Exodus this week. ✝️ 4 | Ten Commandments (Exodus 19–24) God descends on Mount Sinai in fire and smoke. He gives the Ten Commandments, moral laws, and civil instructions. Israel solemnly agrees to the covenant, sealing their commitment through blood and obedience. 5 | Tabernacle (Exodus 25–31) God commands the construction of the Ark of the Covenant, the tabernacle, and the priestly system, establishing a dwelling place for His presence among His people. These detailed instructions lay the foundation for Israel’s worship. 6 | The Golden Calf & Second Tablets (Exodus 32–40) While Moses is on the mountain, Israel makes a golden calf to worship. God is furious, but Moses intercedes. God forgives, renews the covenant, and tells Moses to carve new tablets, as Moses in his anger had broken the 10 commandments tablets when he saw the golden calf. When the tabernacle is finished, God’s cloud fills it. Key Verses: Exodus 20:2-3 "– I am the LORD thy God, whi...

Week 8 — Nov 24-30: (Gen 50, Exo 1-22)

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Exodus tells how God frees Israel from slavery and shapes them into a covenant nation. The story begins with a new Pharaoh who fears the growing Hebrews and forces them into harsh labor. God protects baby Moses, who is raised in Pharaoh’s palace yet flees after defending a fellow Hebrew. Years later, at a burning bush in the desert, God sends Moses back to Egypt with a promise of rescue. There He reveals the divine name “I AM.” With his brother Aaron, Moses confronts Pharaoh. Ten escalating plagues show God’s power and expose Egypt’s idols. The final plague, the death of firstborn sons, passes over homes marked by lamb’s blood. Pharaoh finally lets the people go, but soon pursues them. God parts the Red Sea, Israel crosses on dry ground, and the pursuing army is swept away. A pillar of cloud by day and fire by night guides and protects them. In the wilderness God provides water, manna, and quail, teaching trust. At Mount Sinai He meets the people with thunder an...