The scriptures read are Numbers 12-14, Psalm 44 and Luke 2.
Numbers 12. Miriam and Aaron trash talk Moses and Miriam gets turned white. She gets better.
Numbers 13 & 14. A scouting party is sent to scope out the promised land. They are impressed. They cut down a cluster of grapes so big it takes 2 men to carry on a pole. (Which was the symbol of the Israel Tourist Board when I went there in the 70s.) Unfortunately the descendants of the Nephilim are there (remember them from Genesis 6?) and that freaks out the whole scouting party, except Caleb and Joshua. Their reports of the giants freak out the whole of Israel in turn and so God is ready to wipe them out and start a nation with Moses. Moses talks him out of that but God vows that the adults of this generation will not set foot in the land of Canaan. So now they will have to wander in the wilderness for 40 years.
Psalm 44. The people are upset because they are getting beaten by their enemies. Why isn't God helping them?
Luke 2. Jesus is born. He is wrapped with strips of cloth and they use a feeding trough as a makeshift cradle. The shepherds are visited by a ton of angels (more singing). On the 8th day, Jesus is taken to the temple where 2 old people, waiting for God's Messiah, make a big fuss (ie, songs) over him.
Flash forward to a 12 year old Jesus visiting Jerusalem with his parents. They take off in a caravan, each thinking Jesus is with the other apparently. When the caravan stops for the night--no Jesus! They zip back to town and look for him. They find him in the temple, impressing the heck out of the Bible geeks. Mary and Joseph are mad. He can't figure out why they didn't look there first. But he goes home with them and is obedient.
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