Today’s reading: Num 33:1–49, 1 Cor 15:12–34, Ps 28:1–9

Today’s theme: Pilgrims Progress

Today we are reminded to continue progressing and growing as we walk with the Lord in the light and power of His very real, essential and necessary resurrection. Without the full bodily resurrection of Jesus we have no hope

Numbers 33:1–49

Pilgrims progress

Moses wrote down their starting places, stage by stage, by command of the LORD, and these are their stages according to their starting places. Numbers 33:2 (ESV)

We are called to progress and grow as we journey with the Lord. The journey of the children of Israel points forward to the pilgrim like journey of every believer as we draw closer to God’s eternal Promised Land. As we walk with the Lord our faith will be tested but we must endure until the end to receive the reward. See 2 Corinthians 3:18, Hebrews 11:16, Hebrews 12:1-2.

1 Corinthians 15:12–34

The resurrection of Jesus is essential

And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. 1 Corinthians 15:17–18 (ESV)

Paul was correcting some bad teaching that the Corinthian church had started to believe. This was influenced by the word around them and possibly the misinterpretation of Paul’s own teaching. They had concluded that there was no resurrection.

Paul shows them that the implication of this error was that Christ did not rise from the dead. If that were true we could not be saved and would have no hope. The resurrection of Jesus and His death on the cross are both a part of one saving act by God. Without the resurrection of Jesus Christ there is no Christian faith.

God, all in all

When all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to him who put all things in subjection under him, that God may be all in all. 1 Corinthians 15:28 (ESV)

Gordon Fee, a noted American-Canadian Christian theologian, comments well stating that… “Paul’s point is that in raising Christ from the dead God has set in motion a chain of events that must culminate in the final destruction of death and thus of God’s being once again, as in eternity past, “all in all.”” Fee, G. D. (1987). The First Epistle to the Corinthians (p. 759).

Psalm 28:1–9

Our Great Shepherd

Oh, save your people and bless your heritage! Be their shepherd and carry them forever. Psalm 28:9 (ESV)

Hebrews 13:20 encourages us that Jesus is our great shepherd, He will carry us forever.

Most of the above post is a copy of the original notes from the same date in 2014.

Additional resources

Desiring God on 1 Corinthians 15