The Calendar that the Lord's Day Replaced [Family Worship lesson in Numbers 28:11–29:40]

What was the annual Israelite calendar? Numbers 28:11–29:40 looks forward to the afternoon sermon on the coming Lord’s Day. In these sixty-one verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that the annual Israelite calendar was a series of feasts that reminded them of the faithfulness, salvation, provision, and atonement of their God.(click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

2024.12.13 Hopewell @Home ▫ Numbers 28:11–29:40

Read Numbers 28:11–29:40

Questions from the Scripture text: Which ascension and tribute is commanded in Numbers 28:11-15? How much is to be offered? What does this imply about the importance of the beginning of each month? When is the Passover (Numbers 28:16, cf. Leviticus 23:5–8)? When is unleavened bread, and how long (Numbers 28:17)? What is the first day (Numbers 28:18)? What ascension (Numbers 28:19), tribute (Numbers 28:20-21), and sin offering (Numbers 28:22) are to be offered? In addition to what (Numbers 28:23-24)? What is the seventh day (Numbers 28:25)? What is the first day of the Feast of Weeks called here (Numbers 28:26)? What is this day to be? What is to be offered (Numbers 28:27-31)? What month begins with what kind of day for them (Numbers 29:1)? What offerings are to be made, in addition to what else (Numbers 29:2-6)? What is the second celebration day of the seventh month (Numbers 29:7)? What sort of day is it? What ascension (Numbers 29:8), tribute (Numbers 29:9-10), and sin offering (Numbers 29:11) are to be brought? What is the third major celebration of the seventh month (Numbers 29:12-38, cf. Leviticus 23:33–36)? What is it to be (Numbers 29:12)? For how long? What sort of ascension (Numbers 29:13), tribute (Numbers 29:14-15), and sin offering (Numbers 29:16) are to be made on the first day? How does the number change on subsequent days (Numbers 29:17, Numbers 29:20, Numbers 29:23, Numbers 29:26, Numbers 29:29), culminating with how many on which day (Numbers 29:32)? What is the eighth day called (Numbers 29:35)? What ascension (Numbers 29:36), tribute (Numbers 29:37), and sin offering (Numbers 29:38) are to be made? To what are all these feasts to be added (Numbers 29:39)? What does Moses do (Numbers 29:40)?

What was the annual Israelite calendar? Numbers 28:11–29:40 looks forward to the hearing of God’s Word, publicly read, in the holy assembly on the coming Lord’s Day. In these sixty-one verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that the annual Israelite calendar was a series of feasts that reminded them of the faithfulness, salvation, provision, and atonement of their God.

God’s steady faithfulness. In addition to the creational calendar of Numbers 28:1-10, Israel are to offer a significant number of extra sacrifices on the first day of every month (Numbers 28:11-15). Each new month is a testament to God’s persisting faithfulness. 

The God Who delivered from death. The beginning of months for them was measured from when God delivered them from Egypt. But we mustn’t forget that the Passover was actually a much greater deliverance than that from Egypt. He delivered them from death at His own hand! The fourteenth day of the first month was reserved for celebrating this (Numbers 28:16, and would immediately begin an observance of unleavened bread (Numbers 28:17), focusing more upon the Exodus itself. Again, God’s people were to observe these days by holy assemblies (Numbers 28:18, Numbers 28:25), marked especially by drawing near to God in His provided sacrifices (Numbers 28:19-24).

The God Who provides the land, and makes the land provide. Only here is the Feast of Weeks described as beginning with “the day of the firstfruits” (Numbers 28:26). This feast commemorated the ingathering of the wheat harvest (cf. Exodus 34:22), and is one of the reasons for listing these feasts here in the book of Numbers, as the people of Israel are about to go from wandering in the wilderness to gathering an annual harvest in the promised land.

The God Who atones for His people’s sin. The entirety of chapter 29 is given to celebrations in the seventh month. Just as the seventh day was a holy day, the seventh month was a holy month for Israel. It began with a day of blasting trumpets (Numbers 29:1–6), a holy convocation with trumpeting to announce the arrival of the holy month. This trumpeting day is what Jews later considered to be their new year (Rosh Hashanah), in contradiction of God’s own designation. 

The tenth day of the month, the day of atonement (Numbers 29:7-11), is called here a day to “afflict your souls” (Numbers 29:7). Leviticus 16 prescribes this day in much greater detail, coming out of the necessity for cleansing and atoning after the sin of Nadab and Abihu and their tabernacle-defiling deaths.

The last great event in the holy month was the seven-day feast that began on the fifteenth day of the month. This feast demanded a huge amount of sacrifices, counting down to seven bulls on the seventh day (Numbers 29:32), so beginning with thirteen(!) bulls on the first day (Numbers 29:13). Again, this is a celebration that provides some of the reason for this calendar appearing at this point in the book of Numbers. The wandering in the wilderness, which is about to end, was commemorated during this feast by the use of tents/booths throughout the month (cf. Leviticus 23:33–36). By the time this feast is complete, they have offered seventy bulls, fourteen rams, ninety-eight lambs, and seven goats! The eighth day is its own separate feast, a solemn assembly (Numbers 29:35). God had patiently endured, forgiven, and overruled their sin in the wilderness. He would continue to do so for centuries in the land!

All of these were especially covenantal celebrations between covenant God and covenant people. But they were in addition to the daily offerings (Numbers 28:15, Numbers 28:24, Numbers 28:31; Numbers 29:6, Numbers 29:11, Numbers 29:16, Numbers 29:19, Numbers 29:22, Numbers 29:25, Numbers 29:28, Numbers 29:31, Numbers 29:38) and all of the personal offerings that Israelites brought near (Numbers 29:39). 

By this calendar, God repeatedly reminded them that He is their faithful God, Who delivers them from death, keeps His promises, and atones for their sin. Now, we have all of these things not in a calendar, but in the person and work of Jesus Christ! In Him, all of the promises of God have their yes and amen.

How does Jesus Himself affirm to you God’s persistent faithfulness? God’s delivering you from death? God’s keeping all covenant promises to you, and making provision for you? God’s atoning for your sin? How does the daily and weekly “calendar” bring you to God through Christ? How does the absence of an annual church calendar emphasize to you that Christ has fulfilled all of these?

Sample prayer:  Lord, thank You for giving to Israel an annual calendar that kept reminding them of Your faithfulness, salvation, and atonement. And thank You, even more, for giving Your own Son to us as that reminder, now. Grant unto us to come to You through Him, day by day, and week by week, we ask in His Name, AMEN!

Suggested songs: ARP92 “It’s Good to Thank the Lord” or TPH151 “Lord of the Sabbath, Hear Us Pray” 

The One Whom Revelation Reveals [Family Worship lesson in Revelation 1:7–18]

Who is Jesus? Revelation 1:7–18 looks forward to the hearing of God’s Word, publicly read, in the holy assembly on the coming Lord’s Day. In these twelve verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that Jesus is the great King, and faithful prophet, and especially the glorious Priest Who intercedes for us.(click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

2024.12.12 Hopewell @Home ▫ Revelation 1:7–18

Read Revelation 1:7–18

Questions from the Scripture text: With what command does Revelation 1:7 begin? What is Jesus Christ going to do? With what? Who will see Him? Especially who? Who will do what because of Him? How does verse 7 affirm/approve this? Who claims to be what eight things in Revelation 1:8? Who speaks in Revelation 1:9? What two things does he call himself toward them? In what three shared ways? Where was he? For what two reasons? What was he “in” (Revelation 1:10)? When? What did he hear? From where? What was it like? What four things did the voice claim to be? What did He command John to do? To whom? What did John do in Revelation 1:12? What did he see? Whom did he see in the midst of them (Revelation 1:13)? How was he dressed? What was His head like (Revelation 1:14)? Hair? Eyes? Feet (Revelation 1:15)? Voice? Right hand? Mouth? Face? How does John respond (Revelation 1:17)? But what does Jesus do to him? And command him? Why—what does Jesus say about Himself (Revelation 1:17-18)? What does He have? 

Who is Jesus? Revelation 1:7–18 looks forward to the hearing of God’s Word, publicly read, in the holy assembly on the coming Lord’s Day. In these twelve verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that Jesus is the great King, and faithful prophet, and especially the glorious Priest Who intercedes for us.

Why we need this revelation of Christ. We need to know about Jesus now, because we will look upon Jesus later (Revelation 1:7). He disappeared into a cloud (cf. Acts 1:9), and He is coming with clouds (cf. Matthew 24:30). Every eye will see Him. Your own eye will see Him, dear reader. If John’s response, like Daniel’s (cf. Daniel 10:16–17) is to fall down as dead, then what will the terror and weeping be like of those who were not His, or even who rejected and pierced Him?! We need to know Christ now, and respond to Christ now, before we see Him, then.

Who Christ is. Revelation 1:8 identifies Jesus as being of one nature with the Father (cf. Revelation 1:4, “who is and who was and who is to come”). Furthermore, He is the origin (Alpha) and end/goal (Omega) of all of history. The flesh (and the world, and the devil) tells you to be the hero of your own story. But your life isn’t your story; it’s part of His. And He is the Hero of it.

Jesus is King. He is the Almighty, the all-powerful One. Although His people are in tribulation now (Revelation 1:9), belonging to Him means being patient, because His kingdom is invincibly coming. John knew this; his own exile was worth it, for Christ’s sake.

Jesus is Prophet. The Lord’s Day in Revelation 1:10 is not “the Day of the Lord”; it is one of two places where the root for “Lord” is actually formed as an adjective (the other is 1 Corinthians 11:20). On His day, by His Spirit, He gives His Word, through His apostle to His churches (Revelation 1:11). This He did in the giving of this revelation. This He does every Lord’s Day in the preaching of the Word. He has the seven stars (Revelation 1:16), the preachers from Revelation 1:20, in His hand. And, within their preaching is the sword that proceeds from the mouth of Christ. How careful we ought to be about how we receive faithful preachers and their words!

Jesus is Priest. Here is the emphasis in this passage. The description in Revelation 1:13-15 identifies Jesus as the glorious King of Daniel 7:9–14 and Daniel 10:5–6. From Daniel 7:9 comes the image of the hair white as snow like pure wool. From Daniel 10:5–6 comes the image of the robe with the golden band, the face like lightning, with eyes of fire, feet like burnished bronze, and voice like a multitude. John calls Him “like” the Son of Man because, while He knows Jesus as intimately as any man ever has, even John has never seen Jesus like this. Yet, this Glorious One appears not so much as a King here, but as a Priest.

The scene is familiar from the Old Testament. One of the High Priest’s great duties was the tending of the lamps and the lampstand in the Holy Place (Revelation 1:12-13a, cf. Leviticus 24:1–4). And here is Christ, not just sending the book to the churches, with a letter for each, but He Himself among them and tending carefully to them. How great He is! His purity is communicated in the whiteness of the head/hair, His burning gaze in the flaming eye, His personal glory in the face like the full-shining sun, His Word and its power in the voice like many waters. But what is He doing in all of this glory? Tending the lamps, caring for the churches. Almighty power faithfully, constantly cares for the visible church!

And almighty power cares for His servant. When John falls own as dead, Jesus touches him. He is exhibits His almighty glory not in condemning John but in caring for him. He commands John not to be afraid. Jesus’s resurrection life (Revelation 1:18a) is for John, not against him. Death and Hades are no longer inescapable prisons, because Jesus has the keys, and He has sprung His servant free. What it is to be His servant! Are you one of them, dear reader? It is just right that you should be awed by Christ, humbled as if dead before Him. If you have never been, then how can you think that you know Him? But, it is also just right that you obey His command to put away your fear. Behold Him here, our Priest, applying His glory to our encouragement and liberty.   

When have you been most aware of the greatness of Christ’s glory? When have you been humbled and awed, as if dead, before Him? How is His glory actually the solution to every difficulty for you?

Sample prayer:  Lord Jesus, we must some day see You in person. But, we have not grappled, as we ought, with the greatness of Your glory. Forgive us for taking Your worship lightly, and Your Word lightly. Forgive us, even, for forgetting that You are exercising Your great glory as our great High Priest, Who cares for Your churches, always living to intercede for us. Grant that by Your Spirit, in Your Word, You would come and lay Your hand upon us, and lift us up out of every fear and trouble, we ask in Your Name, AMEN!

 Suggested songs: ARP98 “O Sing a New Song” or TPH381 “Blessing and Honor and Glory and Power”

2024.12.15 Midweek Meeting Livestream (live at 6:30p)

Click below for the:

December 11 Prayer Meeting Folder

Proverbs 6:20–35 sermon outline

We urge you to assemble physically, if possible, with a true congregation of Christ's church. For those of our own congregation who may be providentially hindered, we are grateful to be able to provide this service.

IF you are unable to get the stream to work, or simply wish to save on data, you can listen in simply by calling 712.432.3410 and entering 70150 at the prompt.

Each week we livestream the Lord's Day (Sabbath School, Morning Public Worship, and p.m. Singing and Sermon) and Midweek Meeting (sermon and prayer). For notifications when Hopewell is streaming live, install the CHURCHONE APP on your [Apple], [Android], or [Kindle] device, and enter hopewellarp for your broadcaster.

Denouncing Our Pride [Family Worship lesson in Amos 6:8–14]

How much does God hate pride? Amos 6:8–14 looks forward to the hearing of God’s Word, publicly read, in the holy assembly on the coming Lord’s Day. In these seven verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that God hates pride with a just, wrathful, almighty hatred.(click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

2024.12.11 Hopewell @Home ▫ Amos 6:8–14

Read Amos 6:8–14

Questions from the Scripture text: Who has sworn by Whom (Amos 6:8)? What does He abhor? And hate? What will He do? What will happen to a house of ten (Amos 6:9)? How many living will the relatives find, who come to bury the dead (Amos 6:10)? What will this leave no room for doing? What image is used for YHWH’s commanded destruction in Amos 6:11? What is the implied answer to the two questions in Amos 6:12? What have they done that was just as foolish? With what results? Over what two victories are they boasting? But Who is raising up what (Amos 6:14)? To do what, with what effect?

How much does God hate pride? Amos 6:8–14 looks forward to the hearing of God’s Word, publicly read, in the holy assembly on the coming Lord’s Day. In these seven verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that God hates pride with a just, wrathful, almighty hatred.

Pride makes an enemy of God. The introduction of the oath in Amos 6:8 establishes the greatness of what is about to be announced. How much God hates pride! Avoid it with all that you are, dear reader, before you find yourself with God as your sworn enemy. 

Pride brings total death. The scene in Amos 6:9-10 is irretrievably sad. Even a family of ten is not big enough to have a survivor. The person outside with the ten bodies calls to the one in the house, but no one is found alive. There is no use in calling upon YHWH now, for all are dead; and, Amos 6:10 might also be saying that the complete mortality is an indicator that YHWH’s judgment against them is beyond turning back.

Pride brings total destruction. The image changes in Amos 6:11, but the result is the same. The destruction comes at YHWH’s command, and however great the house was before, what remains afterward is jus tiny little bits.

Pride is self-deceived (Amos 6:12). Some things just seem like common sense. You don’t run the Kentucky Derby over boulders. You don’t plow a field with oxen, while it’s still full of boulders. And you don’t overturn justice in your land. The Lord will most certainly respond to such a people with bitter, poisonous death.

Pride is delusional. The boasting in Amos 6:13 is ridiculous. “Lo Debar” means “not a thing,” and Karnaim was a tiny little city exactly in Aram, the opposite of its name (“horns,” i.e., strength). The “by our own strength” has the effect of being self-mocking because of how unimpressive the victories actually are.

Pride will be devastated. YHWH, God of armies, now responds to the boasting in Amos 6:13. What will happen when He brings a real army of a real nation against them? Israel will be afflicted from their extreme north (“entrance of Hamath”) to their extreme south (“valley of the Arabah”).

In several passages, these last few weeks, the Spirit has confronted us with the danger of pride, to which God is opposed with all that He is. Let us reject pride as most delusional and most dangerous. Dear reader, shall we not be brought low before Him? Let us adore. Let us depend. Let us submit. Let us exalt ourselves over no one. 

In what ways or situations have you been impressed with yourself or felt good about yourself? Why is this so dangerous? How are you cultivating humility? What would it look like to be more humble?

Sample prayer:  Lord, thank You for holding up to us the mirror of Your Word, so that we can see how dangerous and delusional our pride is. We confess that we have felt good about ourselves for things that we have done, when what we have done is not so impressive, and even our doing it has only been by Your grace. So, our pride has been ridiculous and foolish, and provoked Your enmity. But You have shown Your great love in Christ dying for His enemies. In that love, forgive us our pride, and remove it from us. Grant that, by Your Spirit, we would have the humility to adore You and depend upon You and submit to You, we ask through Christ, AMEN!

 Suggested Songs: ARP98 “O Sing a New Song to the LORD” or TPH440 “Come , Ye Sinners, Poor and Wretched”

The Creational Church Calendar [2024.12.08 Evening Sermon in Numbers 28:1–10]

We were created and redeemed to come to God through Christ, which we are to do especially morning and evening, day by day, and week by week on the Lord's Day

(click here to DOWNLOAD video/mp3/pdf files of this sermon)

Ears to Hear and Hearts to Understand [2024.12.08 Morning Sermon in Matthew 13:9–17]

We must be given a new nature in order to know and trust in Jesus.

(click here to DOWNLOAD video/mp3/pdf files of this sermon)

Triune, Worshipful Prayer [2024.12.08 Sabbath School lesson in Westminster Confession of Faith 21.3—Hopewell 101]

We continue studying through the Scriptural doctrine that our congregation confesses. This week, we continued Westminster Confession chapter 21—considering the first half of Article 3, and the glory of the Father, Son, and Spirit in our making prayer with thanksgiving, in the Name of the Son, by the help of the Spirit, Who ministers to us the knowledge of the Father and the Son.(click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)