32:12 Remember - we cannot remember the names of the other ten spies! Which group do we wish to be among? Those who enter the land or the ones who perish in the wilderness?

The Gadites and Reubenites could have taken possession of their allotment east of the Jordan right away. However, Moses obliged them to help the rest of the nation to become settled in the Promised Land first. The good of the whole community was paramount.

We too should follow this example. The welfare of our community in Christ should be foremost in our thoughts and deeds.

The land to the east of the River Jordan had been conquered by God’s command. I presume therefore that it was in God’s plan to include that in "The Promised Land" given to the Israelites. That whole territory makes today’s Israel look rather small, doesn’t it?

32:6      Notice that Moses did not question whether the land east of Jordan should be given to Reuben. Rather his concern was how their actions would impact upon the other tribes.  Likewise we must always consider the impact of our choices, preferences and behaviour upon our brethren and sisters.

32:11  ‘The land which I sware … unto Jacob’ is the words that Joseph used at the end of his life – Gen 50:24 –reminding that whilst Joseph believed the promises – his coffin was being carried with them in the wilderness – the promise would not be fulfilled in the rebels.

V.1 The lands surrounding the two cities of Jazer and Gilead were very fertile and good for raising cattle. Reuben and Gad wanted to settle there. The area had previously been conquered (v.3). However, Yahweh had designated the Promised Land to be that which was situated across (west of) the River Jordan.  And yet, Moses allowed the occupation of these lands conditionally (vs.20-22).

32:8-13 The land east of Jordan had been given to Israel. By God the concern was that those who wanted to take their possession there were like their forefathers who gave an ‘evil report’ – Num 13:32 Moses did not want a re-run of the disaster which happened 38 years earlier.

32:13 Whilst Moses mentions forty years which was the total time Israel were in the wilderness we should remember that the time of wandering after they were turned back into the wilderness after the ten spies gave their evil report – Num 13:32– was in fact 38 years.

V.6  The Hebrew expression having an evil eye (ayin ra) refers to someone who is mean and stingy.  We are told to avoid such false people, preferring simpler offerings given in the right spirit to grandiose ones given with the wrong attitude (Prov 15:17). 

23:21  The ‘drunken and the glutton’ is identified with the ‘stubborn’ son in Deut 21:20. We have already met the stubborn son in Proverbs 7 – he is the son who will not listen to the correction and instruction of the Father.

V.11 - "For their redeemer is mighty; he shall plead their cause with thee" (KJV). In Job 19:25 we read "I know that my redeemer liveth, and that He shall stand at the latter day upon the earth". "Redeemer" in both instances is the Heb. "ga'al" (1350) meaning "to redeem (according to the Oriental law of kinship), to be the next of kin (and as such to buy back a relatives property, marry his widow, etc.), deliver, (do, perform the part of near, next) kinfolk, ransom, redeem (-er), revenger, purchase". Christ as our mediator (1Tim 2:5) pleads and makes intercession for our cause as does the Spirit (Isa 53:12; Rom 8:26,27,34; Heb 7:25). Christ gave his life as a ransom for many (Matt 20:28). And followers of Christ have the Abrahamic promise of the inheritance  Gen 13:14-17; Gal 3:8,13,14,16,18,19,26,27,28,29.

V.13-14 - we have the idea of correction/discipline/chastening/chasteneth Heb. "muwcar" (4148)to save a "soul" Heb. "nephesh" (5315) means "life, person, a breathing creature, soul", etc. from "hell" (KJV) or "death" (NIV) Heb. "sheol" (7585) means "grave, pit, hell", etc. Heb 12:5-11 - says "the Lord disciplines those he loves, and punishes everyone he accepts as a son" (NIV). So we see loving discipline from God refining our characters and being instrumental in the delivering/resurrecting our bodies/lives (i.e. mortal souls) from the grave/death. This is the future hope upon Christ's return we have in Prov 23:18 - "There is surely a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off" (NIV).

23:23 In saying ‘buy the truth and sell it not’ the wise man provides an origin for the language in Rev 13:17 where there would come a time when some would try to prevent the promulgation of the gospel which is bought ‘without price’ – Isa 55:1

23:4 We are enjoined to ‘labour’ – but not for riches. We are encouraged to Heb 4:11 "labour therefore to enter into that rest,"

Vs.3,6,7 Dainties are a product of luxury. Luxurious living is more often than not gained by nefarious deeds. Those who live in luxury, generally have no need or use for Yahweh. They think that they are untouchable. The person who would be simple and righteous should avoid dainties and, generally, those who live luxuriously. See Psa 141:4, and Rev 18:14 which is talking about the luxurious living of the wicked religious/political system of Babylon that has just been destroyed.

23:1-3 Solomon is not simply speaking of etiquette at a guest’s meal table. Rather it is to do with how we respond to new ideas – a feast of ideas – we should always consider what we hear. As John says ‘try the spirits’ 1John 3:1

V.30 Sufficient wine will make one drunk and stupid, but mixed wine will make the process quicker.

In the ancient Near East, it was found that adding certain aromatic herbs to wine would increase the intoxicating potency of the beverage. This became so popular in the Greek world that drinking plain wine was considered distasteful and dull.

At His crucifixion, the soldiers tried to give Jesus mixed wine, but he refused (Mark 15:23). In this case, the wine was mixed with myrrh which would act as an anesthetic.

23:10 ‘Remove not the old landmarks’ echoes Prov 22:28 so we might see the intervening verses as explaining how this could be done. Whilst Solomon is alluding to Deut 19:4 he is speaking of the principles of the gospel and not simply physical territory.

Not all manuscripts have: waiting for the moving of the water.  For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had
(end of verse 3 and verse 4).  It is suggested only the less important manuscripts contain this. The KJV contains this while the RV has omitted it.  Whatever the textual veracity, the important lesson of this chapter is that Jesus had the divine power, and the willingness, to heal.

5:4       This verse stand in parenthesis/ It provides an explanation as to why sick folk were by the pool. As such it neither supports or denies the truth of the belief of those at the pool. There is no value in us speculating about what happened. This is not the purpose of the narrative. The narrative is designed to show that Jesus had the power to heal – and consequently that he was Messiah –

How is it that the dead can hear Jesus, when they have a great deal of trouble hearing anyone else? We have several examples of this phenomenon, not least here in this chapter. v25 "the hour is coming and now is when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God".

But Jesus is not speaking to the dead now, but of the dead eternally. Death is rather subjective with the eyes of faith:- A dead man who has turned to God in his lifetime is far more alive (in the long run) than a living man who doesn't know God, because of the resurrection (John 11:25). So a dead man, in the spiritually focussed eyes of Jesus, is one who hasn't accepted his word (whether physically alive or dead).

This is how the dead can hear Jesus. Those around him were as good as dead in their sins. They didn't know God, and had no hope. Jesus came to rectify that situation. For this reason we have five references to hearing in this short speech of Jesus: v24 "he who hears", v25 "the dead will hear" and "those who hear will live", v28 "all who are in the graves will hear his voice", v30 "as I hear, I judge".

Hearing is absolutely fundemental to being saved. If we hear and believe in Jesus as our saviour, we are no longer dead but alive (v24). The way Jesus phrases it is that we have "passed from death into life". It is, however, very tempting to believe we are alive when we're not. We need to take the example of the stubborn, blind pharisees, and examine ourselves to see if we are acting in the same way as them. It can be a very subtle thing which we can't easily recognise. So how can we tell? Are we drawing near to Jesus to hear him, or are we drawing back? Do we find ourselves spending more time studying the old testament than the new? (v39). Do we concern ourselves more with what others are saying than studying the actual words of Jesus ourselves? It is only by personally coming to Jesus to hear him that we can be made alive (v40).

v 45-47 Jesus says that their accuser is Moses. in fact, Moses himself had not accused them before God, but had pleaded for the people. The sad thing was that they claimed to believe in & follow Moses/his inspired writings, and yet they actually did not, but could not see this. Their own unbelief condemned them, they didn't need anyone else to do so.

So we may say that we believe in & are followers of Jesus, and that we have taken his words to our hearts. But he may return & say "I never knew you".

5:1 And so we see Jesus going back to Jerusalem from Galilee.

5:7     The man’s reaction to Jesus’ question highlights that the man did not know of Jesus’ capabilities. He took the question as a simple investigation, not a question to which Jesus could provide the answer.  So we must conclude that the healing was not a response to the man’s faith. Rather it was a simple demonstration of the glory of God. A fulfilment of Isa 35:6

5:12 So on learning why the man was carrying his bed – he had been healed! – the Jewish leaders then question who had healed the man. Doubtless they knew that Jesus was in Jerusalem. They would also know of his healings. Their questioning was not to learn who had healed Jesus. It was rather to fault the man and try to undermine Jesus’ teaching and position. How often do we try to kill the messenger when we do not like what we see or hear?