July 4 ▪ Day 185

Scripture Readings

Proverbs 18:15
Numbers 7–8
Matthew 4
Psalms 1

Verse Focus (Proverbs 18:15)

The heart of the discerning acquires knowledge,
     for the ears of the wise seek it out.

Meditation

Happy Fourth of July (for those of you who began this plan on January 1st)!

Our verse focus today is Proverbs 18:15. As the ESV translates it, “An intelligent heart acquires knowledge, and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.” The CSB says, “The mind of the discerning acquires knowledge, and the ear of the wise seeks it.”

So the intelligent mind, or the discerning mind, acquires knowledge. As you recall, in Hebrew the word that is translated as mind is just as frequently translated as heart. So this is not about a split between thoughts and feelings, but refers rather to your core personality — your thinking and feeling, your mind and your heart.
The word being translated as intelligent or discerning means to have understanding, perception, or insight — it’s about observation, wisdom, and prudence. So a mind and heart that is “intelligent” must already possess insight and wisdom. Thus it must be the insight and the wisdom that the person has that sparks the need to continue acquiring knowledge.

Likewise, the ear of the wise person is also always seeking knowledge. The person is already wise — therefore, the person listens. The person is attentive and actively engaged in the process of hearing knowledge.

This proverb teaches us that those who are wise will continue to search for and acquire knowledge. They are always seeking instruction. They desire to learn and grow — so much so that the desire for knowledge becomes a hallmark of the person who is wise.

What does this mean in practical terms? Well, let’s just take one small area: knowledge of Scripture. The wise person will seek to know Scripture. Obviously, that means reading it, and probably reading it regularly. He or she will continue seeking to understand Scripture. That means meditating on Scripture and memorizing Scripture. It means studying Scripture.

But our verse isn’t limited to knowledge of Scripture. The verse speaks of knowledge without any limitations. All knowledge. Knowledge of God. Knowledge of science. Knowledge of people. Knowledge of psychology, and human behavior. Knowledge of the natural world. Knowledge of art and music and literature…. Whatever is lovely, and worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on these things (Philippians 4:8).

Father God, may we have minds and hearts that are discerning. May we continue to seek out knowledge. May we continue to acquire and absorb knowledge all throughout our lives. We pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Numbers 7 describes the offerings and dedication gifts that were made when the Tabernacle was consecrated. First is an offering of wagons and oxen. These are given to two of the Levite tribes to use in their temple service. Verse 9 notes that the Kohathite tribe did not receive wagons or oxen since their service required that they must personally carry the holy items of the Tabernacle.

Next are dedication offerings for the altar. Each tribe presents an offering on 12 successive days. The tribes present their offerings in the same order that God used in Numbers 2 to direct their military divisions and camping arrangements. Judah is first, and so their tribal leader, Nahshon the son of Amminadab, presents their offerings: “One silver plate whose weight was 130 shekels, one silver basin of 70 shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; one golden dish of 10 shekels, full of incense; one bull from the herd, one ram, one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering; one male goat for a sin offering; and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old (v. 13-17).”

On the second day, the tribe of Issachar makes its dedication offering. And it is exactly the same as what Judah offered. In fact, every tribe, no matter how big or small, offers the exact same gifts for the Tabernacle. Manasseh’s military division was 32,200 men — less than half the number of Judah, whose military division numbered 74,600 men. Yet Manasseh gives the same amount to the Tabernacle as do all the other tribes. Clearly, this shows that in God’s eyes, each tribe has equal value and equal responsibilities — it is not the size of the tribe that determines its worth.

As chapter 7 ends, the Tabernacle is now consecrated. And the result is that now Moses hears God speaking to him from above the mercy seat in the Most Holy Place of the Tabernacle (v. 89).

Numbers 8 reiterates how God will take the Levites in place of the firstborn. As verse 18 says, “I have taken the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the people of Israel.” But the Levites must first go through a cleansing ceremony, and then a dedication ceremony. It was interesting to see how all of the people of Israel were to lay their hands on the Levites to commission them for service in the Tabernacle (v. 10). I hadn’t realized that the dedication of the Levites would involve everyone.

Matthew 4 tells of Jesus being tempted in the wilderness by the devil, and then records the beginning of his ministry, including the calling of his first disciples.

I have often thought about the temptation of Jesus in terms of how Jesus defended himself against the devil’s attacks. But I don’t think I’ve ever looked at it before to see what I learn about God the Father from this passage. And it is entirely curious. We know that the Holy Spirit is the one who leads Jesus into the desert. The first verse even tells us that the purpose of leading Jesus into the wilderness was so that he would be tempted by the devil.

As I noted back in January when we first read Matthew 4 (January 4th, Day 4), the Spirit orchestrated this time of temptation, but it is also a time of intense preparation for Christ’s ministry in Galilee. Jesus spends the time fasting and praying. He is alone with God, deeply focused on spiritual matters. So I understand what’s going on from Jesus’ point of view. He is preparing himself for his public ministry. He is preparing to fulfill his destiny.

But why does God the Father want the temptations to happen? Perhaps, as a being of free will, God wanted Jesus to know that simply because he was human did not mean that he would fail. Perhaps being human — feeling the weakness and limitations of a created being — would have changed Jesus’ perspective. Maybe God’s rule wouldn’t seem so benign when viewed from the perspective of humans. Or perhaps it was simply that becoming human permanently altered Jesus. He became, in some ways, a completely new creation. And as a new creation, he has the choice whether or not to follow God or to rebel against Him. So these temptations settle the matter once and for all. Jesus still perfectly desires to obey the Father’s will.

Just as Adam and Eve were given the opportunity to fall in the garden of Eden, so Jesus was given the opportunity to fall when he was in the wilderness. Adam and Eve did fall. But Jesus did not. I suppose, too, Jesus couldn’t really be our savior unless he also had faced the temptation to fall. It didn’t occur to me before today that Jesus’ temptation was actually a necessary part of his becoming the Messiah.

Clearly, it’s far more important for us to freely choose God than I had ever realized before. Once enslaved to sin, God devises a way to free us from that sin so that we can again freely choose Him. Let’s just sum it up by saying that God doesn’t want puppets.

As I was reading Matthew 4 today, I was struck particularly by one phrase in verse 3. Satan is tempting Jesus. And he says, “If you are.…” How insidious! Satan causes doubt by the very way he phrases the question. If. I think we are often subject to the same tactics. Satan says to us, “If you are a child of God.…”

But whenever Satan tries to make us doubt that we are the children of God, let us remember how Jesus defended himself. He used Scripture. So memorize a few verses. Remind yourself that nothing can separate us from the love of Christ Jesus (Romans 8:39). And remind yourself that God chose you even before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:4).

Psalm 1 tells us that the man who is blessed delights himself in the law of the LORD, and “on his law he meditates day and night (v. 2).” Even though we may understand some of God’s qualities from looking at nature and creation, the primary way for us to understand God is through Scripture. When the psalmist wrote these words, however, Scripture really only included the Torah. We have the psalms, the prophets, and the entire New Testament — not to mention the Holy Spirit. But it’s important for us not to neglect the Torah. For it was in meditating on the Torah that the psalmist was blessed, and that all people are blessed.

I suppose one of my pet peeves is bleeding through here. I am disappointed that so few Christians really take the time to understand the Old Testament. When I read Psalm 1:2, I’m very aware that what the psalmist did is quite different than what a Christian today might do. And we are so fortunate to have more of Scripture than the psalmist did. But it is my great hope and desire that you will be moved to meditate more on the Torah. I know it’s not as inviting or as easy to understand, but there is so much fruit waiting for you through your meditation of the law.

The last verse of Psalm 1 tells us “for the LORD knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.” I’ve been thinking about this verse today. Because God knows everything. He knows where the wicked are and what they are doing just as much as He knows the righteous. But this verse is telling us that there is something special about God’s knowledge of the way of the righteous. Perhaps it is that the righteous have God’s attention. He watches over the righteous; He guards their way; He protects them. In other words, we have His focus.

Father God, I’m so grateful that we are righteous in your sight because of Christ Jesus. Through your Son, we have the power to do what is right. We can avoid wicked counsel, we can stand apart from sinners, and we can sit with other believers rather than with mockers. Most importantly, we can meditate on your Word and take delight in your law. Thank you for Scripture and for all that it teaches us. Thank you that Christ chose to obey you and he did not fall to any of Satan’s temptations. He did not doubt his identity, nor was he tempted by power, authority, or shortcuts to honor. Because Christ chose you, we also can choose you. Thank you for adopting us into your family. In Jesus’ name, Amen.