Happy New Year, everyone. Since the last two years haven’t been a lot of fun, let’s start this one with something that, if not fun, is at least not too serious. What does the Bible have to say to us as we start this new year? Here are all the 20:22’s.
Exodus 20:22—And the LORD said to Moses, “Thus you shall say to the people of Israel: ‘You have seen for yourselves that I have talked with you from heaven.’ ”
Leviticus 20:22—You shall therefore keep all my statutes and all my rules and do them, that the land where I am bringing you to live may not vomit you out.
Numbers 20:22—And they journeyed from Kadesh, and the people of Israel, the whole congregation, came to Mount Hor.
Judges 20:22—But the people, the men of Israel, took courage, and again formed the battle line in the same place where they had formed it on the first day.
1 Samuel 20:22—But if I say to the youth, ‘Look, the arrows are beyond you,’ then go, for the LORD has sent you away.
2 Samuel 20:22—Then the woman went to all the people in her wisdom. And they cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bichri and threw it out to Joab. So he blew the trumpet, and they dispersed from the city, every man to his home. And Joab returned to Jerusalem to the king.
1 Kings 20:22—Then the prophet came near to the king of Israel and said to him, “Come, strengthen yourself, and consider well what you have to do, for in the spring the king of Syria will come up against you.”
2 Chronicles 20:22—And when they began to sing and praise, the LORD set an ambush against the men of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah, so that they were routed.
Job 20:22—In the fullness of his sufficiency he will be in distress;
the hand of everyone in misery will come against him.
Proverbs 20:22—Do not say, “I will repay evil”;
wait for the LORD, and he will deliver you.
Ezekiel 20:22—But I withheld my hand and acted for the sake of my name, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations, in whose sight I had brought them out.
Matthew 20:22—Jesus answered, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am to drink?” They said to him, “We are able.”
Luke 20:22—“Is it lawful for us to give tribute to Caesar, or not?”
John 20:22—And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.”
Acts 20:22—And now, behold, I am going to Jerusalem, constrained by the Spirit, not knowing what will happen to me there…
If ever there was a phrase that summed up the COVID era, that last one would be it. But the verse before that is the most important one, I think.