Through the Bible in 66 days - Joshua

 

The next book in the Bible is also full of excitement, the same as we have discovered in the previous books. In this book, Joshua, the military commander, has been instructed to take his nation into the land which God promised for his people, Israel. Imagine you have been presented with a new land to live in. Everything in it is going to be yours: towns, farms, food, animals, and wealth. The problem you're facing is this: it belongs to you, but you don't actually occupy it. You have to go into that new country and get rid of your enemies, and then enjoy the land that has been entrusted to you.

This might seem somewhat unfair to those who are already living in that land. To fully understand what's going on, you have to realise that the people and nations who occupied that land had for hundreds of years been involved in child abuse, child sacrifice, abuse of women, self-harming and many other practices which are so sinful, demeaning and damaging to people. God had warned them that He would judge them if they did not repent, and they had refused to listen to him. It's a bit like the story of Noah leading up to the flood. God had warned people for a long, long time that judgment would come, but they refused to listen.

Anstruther Lifeboat Station

 

At Anstruther in Fife, a new lifeboat station is being built with a new slipway to facilitate launching. Seven lifeboats have been stationed there since 1865, the latest being the Kingdom of Fife from 1991 to 2024. It was a Mersey class boat, but reaching the end of its operational life, it has been replaced by a Shannon class vessel, the beautiful, 13-47 Robert and Catherine Steen which arrived just over a year ago. It is superior in many ways, upgraded throughout and with a top speed of 25 knots. 

However, it is too big to fit inside the existing boathouse. So, at a cost of around £100,000, this new facility will be an all-round improvement for the benefit of the volunteer crew and for accommodating and launching the lifeboat to respond to emergency calls for help at sea.

“Saving lives at sea” has become a familiar slogan for the RNLI, and indeed that is its mission. Since its foundation in 1824 its crews have saved ​over 140,000 lives, some in the most difficult and dangerous conditions. Probably very few of us have had to call on them, but those who have, and have been rescued, are overwhelmingly grateful.

Through the Bible in 66 Days - Deuteronomy

 

After 40 years in the desert, God's people are on the very edge of the Promised Land. It took a long time to get here; it should have taken 11 days to cross the desert, but due to their lack of faith, they ended up wandering as nomads for 40 years. Often, we take the hard road by not listening to God, not trusting Him and making life much more difficult for ourselves.

Eventually, they are finally ready for life to get better and to enjoy the amazing life that God has for them but they must adhere to His promises. In Deuteronomy, Moses repeats God's laws for Israel. The name of the book itself reminds us that this is the second time the law has been presented to the people.

How many times has God had to tell you the truth and you refuse to listen? Thankfully, He comes back time and again so that we can eventually understand. The Bible states that God speaks once and then twice, but that man often fails to grasp it.

Through Moses' words, God reveals His heart. He loves the nation of Israel and wishes them to love and trust Him in return. However, God doesn't want people who are simply robotic; He wants a genuine relationship with us. In fact, Deuteronomy feels almost like a wedding, where God binds Himself to this nation with promises of love and faithfulness. They responded with a dramatic mountain experience, pledging to be faithful to Him and to keep His law. While this was a promising start to their new life, their history shows it was not ultimately followed through.

Through the Bible in 66 Days - Numbers

 

Unless you're a toddler or a maths teacher, the book of Numbers may not sound like an exciting read. However, several chapters in this book are particularly engaging, so don't be fooled. The events in Numbers are filled with drama, unexpected plot twists, and life lessons that are very relevant for today!

The book of Numbers continues to narrate the journey of God's people (Israel) through the desert as they travel to a new land. A journey that could have taken 11 days if they had listened to God and obeyed Him took forty years. Eventually, Moses brought them right to the edge of the Promised Land. Instead of entering it and trusting in God's power and promises, the people focused on all the dangers. You may remember the story of the twelve spies sent to explore the land. As children, we used to sing a song that said, "Ten were bad, two were good." The essence of the story teaches us that they should have believed that God could lead them into the land and protect them from their enemies. Ten of the spies focused on the problems and viewed the situation as an absolute disaster. This is often how people approach life: some see the positives, while others only see the problems. The bottom line is that God had promised to lead them from Egypt through the Red Sea, across the desert, and into the Promised Land, but they didn't trust Him.