{"version":1,"type":"rich","provider_name":"Libsyn","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.libsyn.com","height":90,"width":600,"title":"NL-Day124 Judges 1; Psalm 78:32-72; Acts 28","description":"JUDGES 1:It happens that Psalm 78 is a perfect introduction to the book of Judges! This book covers the dark ages for the nation of Israel, from the time following Joshua\u2019s death to the birth of the last judge, Samuel. HC Mears gives a good easy-to-remember summary: Seven apostasies (times of turning away from God), seven servitudes to seven idolatrous and cruel nations, and seven deliverances. The last verse is the author\u2019s own summary, which is often repeated near the end of the book: \u201cIn those days Israel had no king; all the people did whatever seemed right in their own eyes.\u201d PSALM 78b:Asaph continues his poetic reminder to the people of Israel. In yesterday\u2019s reading, I hope you wondered, \u201cWhen did the tribe of Ephraim run from battle?\u201d I encourage you to ask questions like that and do a little research. (See the Shovels page at dailybiblereading.info for sites that will give you good answers.) Because this comes up several more times in the OT, I want to tell you this: The Ephraimites were the largest of the northern tribes, and their name came to stand for all of the northern tribes in the time when people distinguished between the kingdom of Judah (in the south)and the kingdom of Israel (in the north). It is likely that there was no specific battle in Asaph\u2019s mind, but that he was using the northern tribes as examples of what happens when the people are unfaithful to God. They refused to be numbered with God\u2019s people in time of national wars. ACTS 28:As Paul prophesied, all two hundred and seventy-six people on board arrived safely on land, but the ship was lost. NLT Translation notes:Ps. 78:72 [David\/\/He] cared for them with a true heartand led them with skillful hands.====Acts 28:15 The brothers and sisterse in Rome had heard we were coming, and they came to meet us at  [a village called] the Forumf on the Appian Way. Others joined us at [a village called] The Three Taverns.g When Paul saw them, he was encouraged and thanked God.   Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright \u00a9 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. ","author_name":"Daily Bible Reading Phil Fields","author_url":"http:\/\/dailybiblereading.info","html":"