Yahweh commanded Moses to have the stages of the wilderness journey recorded (v.2). He probably kept a daily journal which would have added to his already busy schedule.  

The comparative journey to the Kingdom has also been signposted by Yahweh in the scriptures for believers.  Prophecy, unfolding events in the geo-political heavens, has encouraged the faithful throughout the ages.

Some stops were short, and some much longer. Num 33:38,39 is in the last year of the journeyings, and therefore the stops listed after those verses must have been very short stays.

33:49    Whilst this summary does not mention events that took place at this location we must be aware that this is the spot where the children of Israel committed fornication with the daughters of Moab (Num 25) whilst the spies were spying out the land.

33:8     Israel has said to Pharaoh that they would go ‘three days journey’ to sacrifice to God – Exo 5:3, 8:27. Israel did not fully understand what was going to happen so at this point they may well have thought that they had got to the place that Moses was speaking of when he spoke with Pharaoh.

v. 3 - The process of building our house on the right foundation is one that we know well. These passages support this principle and give us a sense of responsibility to ensure that it is carried out. Pr.9:1, 14:1, 2Sam.7:26, 1Cor.3:9, Col.2:7.

V.16 describes the actions of a righteous person who has been constantly harassed by an evil person. We can apply it to our own lives, even if overt pressure from someone else is not present. All people make mistakes. A just (righteous) person is no exception. He or she can stumble and fall too. However, it is only the righteous person who realizes a mistake has been made, asks for forgiveness, rights the wrong (where possible), and moves on.  And this is done every time a righteous person makes a mistake.

24:21 The counsel of Scripture is to obey kings, rather than seek to change things in this world. This is the counsel of the Proverb.

24:2 Whilst the wicked ‘studieth destruction’ we should study to be approved’ – 2Tim 2:15

24:13-14 ‘Honey’ is the word of God – Psa 119:130. It is through consuming the Scriptures that we become ‘wise’. The ‘fool’ on the other hand refuses instruction.

24:1 Notice that the warning is not to be envious of ‘evil men’ – the Proverb does not encourage us to envy good men. Sadly human thinking tends to want to identify with the bad, not the good. Notice how that popular films tend to have a major element of violence and dishonesty in them – that is what sells films.

24:7 ‘in the gate’ is the place of judgement – Gen 19:1,9 - If only we, when we are foolish in our thinking, kept quiet in discussions about the problems of others!

6:24-59            This section records events which took place in Capernaum – probably on on a Sabbath.

6:10 We noticed in John 6:3 that they were in a ‘mountain’ nevertheless we see that there ‘was much grass in the place’. This further develops the links with Eze 34:14 and Jesus as the shepherd who would lead Israel when their leaders were not good shepherds.

6:9     Andrew’s comment, after pointing out the boy with the small amount of food, shows that he had no idea either what to do to feed the multitude.

John elucidates the close spiritual relationship that Jesus had with His Father.

Trinitarians take things literally when they are meant figuratively, and wrongly conclude that Jesus is God.

A few examples: In vs.38,51, Jesus is not saying that He literally came down from heaven, but rather that His origin, in the mind and purpose of God, was in heaven.

V.62 Jesus is talking about His forthcoming resurrection and not a supposed former residence in heaven.

V.46 Jesus is not saying that He has literally seen His father. No mortal man can see God (1John 4:12). Only after He rose from the dead, and became immortal, did Jesus ascend to heaven to be with His father (Heb 12:2). The word seen in v.46 comes from the Greek word horao which means discern (in either a physical or mental sense). In light of the consistency of other scriptures, the mental sense is intended here.

It is important to read the scriptures intelligently, making sure that scripture confirms scripture to keep the consistency of the message. Proclaiming pagan myths and fables and trying to support them by selective scriptures denies the truth of God’s Word and does Him a disservice.

6:4 This is the third passover we have come across in John’s account of the ministry of Jesus. The first in 2:13 the second in 5:1. The next passover we come across in John is the one when Jesus is crucified.

V.12 Jesus was clear that no food fragments should be left.  This miracle, of providing temporal food, mirrors the divine provision of manna in the wilderness.  There too, nothing was to be left over (Exo 16:17-19).  

In relating the wilderness experience to the people, Jesus gave them the spiritual understanding that the manna represented Him (vs.32-35). 

Jesus taught His disciples that bread signified His body (Matt 26:26). 

Paul explained that true believers are members of Jesus' body (Rom 12:5). 

Each member, therefore, is a piece of the loaf (bread = body of Jesus).  Each member is precious, should be respected, and never discarded (please see 1 Cor Ch. 12).  

John 6:33 J

Jesus talks about coming down from heaven and giving the bread of life what the partaker of would live forever. While many of the churches take this as a literal saying it is not the view that the apostles took. If we look at Peter's reaction after the other disciples no longer walked with Jesus we get a better understanding.

⁶⁶From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.  ⁶⁷Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away?  ⁶⁸Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.

This is supported in the words of Jesus earlier as and explanation.

⁶³It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.

It is the Word that came down from heaven and was manifested in the Son of God. This is what is conveyed in the opening of the letter to the Hebrews.

Heb 1:1-2
1 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,
2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;

Predestination and Freewill

"No man can come to me except the Father draw him" (John 6:44) vs "Whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely" (Rev.22:17).

Is it God who selects, or man who chooses? Is salvation only for the "elect", whom the Father himself "draws", or is it for "whosoever will"? Some verses that support that a "calling" appears to come only to those God himself selects: John 6:44;15:16;Rom 8:29-30;Eph 1:4-5;Rom 9:11-16. Some verses that support "whosoever will" to take of the water of life freely: Rev 22:17;Isa 55:1-3;Matt 11:28;Mark 16:15-16;Rom 10:11-13;Acts 17:30.

How do we reconcile these two apparently contradictory ideas? On the one hand, we have God pre-determining man's eternal destiny; and on the other He is inviting "all men everywhere" to choose to follow Him.  In Acts 2:39,41 we have the integration of those being called out and accepting the message of salvation while in Acts 13:46-48 we have those offered opportunity rejecting the message of eternal life and thus it is offered to others. We have examples throughout the Bible of people having free will. Christ, who was tempted in all points as we are (Heb 4:15), had free will though he chose to yield to his Father's will (Matt 26:39). But though we have free will, God knows beforehand how a person will respond, and thus "calls" such to become "heirs of salvation". Foreknowledge is not the same as predestination. To know an outcome beforehand is different from making it happen. So the calling is of God but the free will response has to be a willing and grateful acceptance of the invitation. Seek and ye shall find (Matt 7:7-11).

Much of the above was gleaned from Balancing the Book: A Study of Biblical Paradoxes by Len Richardson, pps 36-41.

6:10  Jesus and the people are in ‘a mountain’ 6:3 and yet there is ‘much grass’ there The ‘mountain’ echoes Eze 34:14 and the ‘much grass’ echoes Eze 34:14 The ‘good shepherd’ is doing what the leaders in Ezekiel’s day did not do. He has taken the flock to good pasture in the mountain and is feeding them,