March 8 – Why are Biblical lists of names seemingly boring?

March 8
Numbers 10:1-11:23
Mark 14:1-21
Psalm 51:1-19
Proverbs 10:31-32

Numbers 10:26 – Ever thought about why lists of names seem unimportant? I worked on political campaigns in the past and heard that people would pore through mailers that had long lists of names. What’s the difference between the Biblical lists and a campaign mailer with a list of names? If you’re a voter – you may check a list of endorsers of an unfamiliar candidate to see if there is anyone you know or have heard of. Unfortunately, we don’t know and haven’t heard of people in these lists – Pagiel the son of Ocran, etc. But these were real people who really lived and were recognized by God for their faithfulness in leadership.

Numbers 10:35 – This verse was inscribed in Latin on a silver gilt in the 600s AD, and was uncovered as part of the Staffordshire Hoard in England.

Numbers 11:1 – Patch the Pirate wrote a song about people who complain – “Wah, Wah, Wah, Call the Wahmbulance.” (This rendition was recorded at a recent VCY Rally).

Numbers 11:11-15 – A common prayer of many in ministry be they pastors or Christian school leaders. While Jethro taught Moses the principle of delegation earlier in Exodus 18:11, but while delegation doesn’t require the Holy Spirit, true ministry cannot be done without the Holy Spirit.

Mark 14:5 – I’ve thought about different events in church history where someone used their financial resources to make a significant gift for ministry (imagine if you owned a printing press and were friends with William Tyndale!). This definitely makes the list. Talk about legacy giving (v.9)! And it seems to have played into Judas’ different financial priorities (v.10).

Psalm 51 – Patch the Pirate (Ron Hamilton) recorded a song based on Psalm 51:3, “My Sin is Ever Before Me, Lord.” May we take our sin as seriously as David did.

Proverbs 10:31-32 – The mouth seems to be powerful and we’re not even into James 3 – the classic passage on the tongue! (But you can still listen to a Patch song on the Tongue.