Mark 7

Good idea, but not the problem.

WEEK 7                                              Mark 7          

THURSDAY  Reflections

Eating with unwashed hands might make you sick but it isn't what makes you a bad person. God placed much of the Old Testament Law in place to not just make the Children of Israel separate but also to keep them healthy. 

 

The problem was many of the leaders of Jesus' time kept the ceremonial cleansing laws but broke the moral laws. They not only emphasized the ceremonial laws they added to what God had said in the law and made those rules equal to God's law.

 

Jesus laid out the truth. The real problem with man isn't what he puts into his body for eventually, it will come out, but what is on the inside. To say it another way, it isn't what you eat it's who you are. This is also the reason we need a Savior. The source of our problem is what is on the inside, not what we are doing on the outside.

Mar 7:1-37
(1)  Then came together unto him the Pharisees, and certain of the scribes, which came from Jerusalem.
(2)  And when they saw some of his disciples eat bread with defiled, that is to say, with unwashen, hands, they found fault.
(3)  For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they wash their hands oft, eat not, holding the tradition of the elders.
(4)  And when they come from the market, except they wash, they eat not. And many other things there be, which they have received to hold, as the washing of cups, and pots, brasen vessels, and of tables.
(5)  Then the Pharisees and scribes asked him, Why walk not thy disciples according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashen hands?
(6)  He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.
(7)  Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.
(8)  For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do.
(9)  And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition.
(10)  For Moses said, Honour thy father and thy mother; and, Whoso curseth father or mother, let him die the death:
(11)  But ye say, If a man shall say to his father or mother, It is Corban, that is to say, a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; he shall be free.
(12)  And ye suffer him no more to do ought for his father or his mother;
(13)  Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye.
(14)  And when he had called all the people unto him, he said unto them, Hearken unto me every one of you, and understand:
(15)  There is nothing from without a man, that entering into him can defile him: but the things which come out of him, those are they that defile the man.
(16)  If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.
(17)  And when he was entered into the house from the people, his disciples asked him concerning the parable.
(18)  And he saith unto them, Are ye so without understanding also? Do ye not perceive, that whatsoever thing from without entereth into the man, it cannot defile him;
(19)  Because it entereth not into his heart, but into the belly, and goeth out into the draught, purging all meats?
(20)  And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man.
(21)  For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,
(22)  Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness:
(23)  All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.
(24)  And from thence he arose, and went into the borders of Tyre and Sidon, and entered into an house, and would have no man know it: but he could not be hid.
(25)  For a certain woman, whose young daughter had an unclean spirit, heard of him, and came and fell at his feet:
(26)  The woman was a Greek, a Syrophenician by nation; and she besought him that he would cast forth the devil out of her daughter.
(27)  But Jesus said unto her, Let the children first be filled: for it is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it unto the dogs.
(28)  And she answered and said unto him, Yes, Lord: yet the dogs under the table eat of the children's crumbs.
(29)  And he said unto her, For this saying go thy way; the devil is gone out of thy daughter.
(30)  And when she was come to her house, she found the devil gone out, and her daughter laid upon the bed.
(31)  And again, departing from the coasts of Tyre and Sidon, he came unto the sea of Galilee, through the midst of the coasts of Decapolis.
(32)  And they bring unto him one that was deaf, and had an impediment in his speech; and they beseech him to put his hand upon him.
(33)  And he took him aside from the multitude, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spit, and touched his tongue;
(34)  And looking up to heaven, he sighed, and saith unto him, Ephphatha, that is, Be opened.
(35)  And straightway his ears were opened, and the string of his tongue was loosed, and he spake plain.
(36)  And he charged them that they should tell no man: but the more he charged them, so much the more a great deal they published it;
(37)  And were beyond measure astonished, saying, He hath done all things well: he maketh both the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak.

Psalm 47

WEEK 8                                                Psalm 47   

WEDNESDAY  Reflections

Can we clap our hands in church?

According to this scripture, we certainly can. The psalmist calls for people/nations to clap their hands to God. Yes, clapping can be done in ways that don't glorify God, but anything can be turned into something which doesn't worship God if done incorrectly. I remember a pianist bragging that he snuck The Old Gray Mare into his playing at church. In this, the people listening might have been thinking about God and praising him but I doubt the pianist was. However, when it comes to clapping the action itself is not wrong.

Does this mean if your church doesn't clap you should do it? No, as Paul teaches we shouldn't offer offense in matters that aren't important (Romans 14). If some do, then rejoice with them. If you're uncomfortable then don't clap because at the end of the day if we aren't doing it for God it doesn't matter.

Outside of the teaching on clapping, this psalm is a beautiful song of praise to God, who is king over ALL the earth.

Psa 47:1-9
(1)  To the chief Musician, A Psalm for the sons of Korah. O clap your hands, all ye people; shout unto God with the voice of triumph.
(2)  For the LORD most high is terrible; he is a great King over all the earth.
(3)  He shall subdue the people under us, and the nations under our feet.
(4)  He shall choose our inheritance for us, the excellency of Jacob whom he loved. Selah.
(5)  God is gone up with a shout, the LORD with the sound of a trumpet.
(6)  Sing praises to God, sing praises: sing praises unto our King, sing praises.
(7)  For God is the King of all the earth: sing ye praises with understanding.
(8)  God reigneth over the heathen: God sitteth upon the throne of his holiness.
(9)  The princes of the people are gathered together, even the people of the God of Abraham: for the shields of the earth belong unto God: he is greatly exalted.


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Numbers 8 Who will carry water...

Who will carry water...

WEEK  7                                             Numbers 8

TUESDAY  Reflections

Years ago I heard a Christian group sing Who Will Carry Water. The song tells the story of an aging Elijah asking the question, "Who will carry water to a dry and thirsty land...?" This came to mind as I read the retirement age from practical ministry for Levites. 

God recognized there comes a time when our bodies cannot handle the hard physical labor they once could. God doesn't throw them out of ministry but tells them to let others carry on the heavy labor. Even for us, we need to realize we do not fail God if we are unable to physically do work in the church we might have done in the past. This doesn't mean we lose our vote, or what we say doesn't matter, it means it time's for someone else to, as the song says, "carry water to a dry and thirsty land..."

Num 8:1-26

(1)  And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

(2)  Speak unto Aaron, and say unto him, When thou lightest the lamps, the seven lamps shall give light over against the candlestick.

(3)  And Aaron did so; he lighted the lamps thereof over against the candlestick, as the LORD commanded Moses.

(4)  And this work of the candlestick was of beaten gold, unto the shaft thereof, unto the flowers thereof, was beaten work: according unto the pattern which the LORD had shewed Moses, so he made the candlestick.

(5)  And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

(6)  Take the Levites from among the children of Israel, and cleanse them.

(7)  And thus shalt thou do unto them, to cleanse them: Sprinkle water of purifying upon them, and let them shave all their flesh, and let them wash their clothes, and so make themselves clean.

(8)  Then let them take a young bullock with his meat offering, even fine flour mingled with oil, and another young bullock shalt thou take for a sin offering.

(9)  And thou shalt bring the Levites before the tabernacle of the congregation: and thou shalt gather the whole assembly of the children of Israel together:

(10)  And thou shalt bring the Levites before the LORD: and the children of Israel shall put their hands upon the Levites:

(11)  And Aaron shall offer the Levites before the LORD for an offering of the children of Israel, that they may execute the service of the LORD.

(12)  And the Levites shall lay their hands upon the heads of the bullocks: and thou shalt offer the one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering, unto the LORD, to make an atonement for the Levites.

(13)  And thou shalt set the Levites before Aaron, and before his sons, and offer them for an offering unto the LORD.

(14)  Thus shalt thou separate the Levites from among the children of Israel: and the Levites shall be mine.

(15)  And after that shall the Levites go in to do the service of the tabernacle of the congregation: and thou shalt cleanse them, and offer them for an offering.

(16)  For they are wholly given unto me from among the children of Israel; instead of such as open every womb, even instead of the firstborn of all the children of Israel, have I taken them unto me.

(17)  For all the firstborn of the children of Israel are mine, both man and beast: on the day that I smote every firstborn in the land of Egypt I sanctified them for myself.

(18)  And I have taken the Levites for all the firstborn of the children of Israel.

(19)  And I have given the Levites as a gift to Aaron and to his sons from among the children of Israel, to do the service of the children of Israel in the tabernacle of the congregation, and to make an atonement for the children of Israel: that there be no plague among the children of Israel, when the children of Israel come nigh unto the sanctuary.

(20)  And Moses, and Aaron, and all the congregation of the children of Israel, did to the Levites according unto all that the LORD commanded Moses concerning the Levites, so did the children of Israel unto them.

(21)  And the Levites were purified, and they washed their clothes; and Aaron offered them as an offering before the LORD; and Aaron made an atonement for them to cleanse them.

(22)  And after that went the Levites in to do their service in the tabernacle of the congregation before Aaron, and before his sons: as the LORD had commanded Moses concerning the Levites, so did they unto them.

(23)  And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

(24)  This is it that belongeth unto the Levites: from twenty and five years old and upward they shall go in to wait upon the service of the tabernacle of the congregation:

(25)  And from the age of fifty years they shall cease waiting upon the service thereof, and shall serve no more:

(26)  But shall minister with their brethren in the tabernacle of the congregation, to keep the charge, and shall do no service. Thus shalt thou do unto the Levites touching their charge.

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Numbers 7

Maybe not having an ox cart, is a gift?

WEEK  7                                               Numbers 7  

MONDAY  Reflections

Numbers chapter 7 is one of the longer chapters in the Bible. Don't be discouraged it's not as hard as it seems. Much of the chapter repeats the same information as the twelve tribes offered nearly the same gift.

 

The beginnings of this chapter ties into chapter four where the different clans were given what they needed to do the ministry in the tabernacle. The sons of Kohath were not given any wagons to move the articles of the tabernacle. This might cause some to think this wasn't fair. It was when you are considering the work they did was to carry what they were in charge of.

 

God's lack of giving to some people today seems unfair. God gave that church something (money, building, staff, resources, etc.) but he hasn't given it to us. I understand there are human reasons we don't have resources, but we might do well to consider God didn't give us a ministry which would use those things. Sometimes having other things could be a distraction or even a temptation. If God had given the sons of Kohath a cart they might have put the Ark of the Covenant on it and as we recall how that worked out for David (Uzzah died, 2 Samuel 6), it was a bad idea. I believe, God was in reality keeping temptation from them. If you don't own a gun, you can't shoot someone. If you don't own a computer you can't watch internet porn. I think you get the idea. Perhaps, just perhaps, we should thank God for what we don't have.

 

It is easy to become a little resentful, jealous, or distracted by what appears to be the blessings of others. As of this writing, a pastor friend pointed out that the lack of new responsibilities in the church might be God's blessing since Michelle (my wife) has been struggling with medical problems. I had to agree, if I had another job, more denominational responsibilities, a book contract, (I have a whole list of things I would like to tackle), I might not be able to help her with her struggles and she is my top priority (1 Timothy 5:8). By the time this is published I hope things will have settled down, but all the same, I am going to trust God. Which is what we all should do.

Num 7:1-89
(1)  And it came to pass on the day that Moses had fully set up the tabernacle, and had anointed it, and sanctified it, and all the instruments thereof, both the altar and all the vessels thereof, and had anointed them, and sanctified them;
(2)  That the princes of Israel, heads of the house of their fathers, who were the princes of the tribes, and were over them that were numbered, offered:
(3)  And they brought their offering before the LORD, six covered wagons, and twelve oxen; a wagon for two of the princes, and for each one an ox: and they brought them before the tabernacle.
(4)  And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
(5)  Take it of them, that they may be to do the service of the tabernacle of the congregation; and thou shalt give them unto the Levites, to every man according to his service.
(6)  And Moses took the wagons and the oxen, and gave them unto the Levites.
(7)  Two wagons and four oxen he gave unto the sons of Gershon, according to their service:
(8)  And four wagons and eight oxen he gave unto the sons of Merari, according unto their service, under the hand of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest.
(9)  But unto the sons of Kohath he gave none: because the service of the sanctuary belonging unto them was that they should bear upon their shoulders.
(10)  And the princes offered for dedicating of the altar in the day that it was anointed, even the princes offered their offering before the altar.
(11)  And the LORD said unto Moses, They shall offer their offering, each prince on his day, for the dedicating of the altar.
(12)  And he that offered his offering the first day was Nahshon the son of Amminadab, of the tribe of Judah:
(13)  And his offering was one silver charger, the weight thereof was an hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them were full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering:
(14)  One spoon of ten shekels of gold, full of incense:
(15)  One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt offering:
(16)  One kid of the goats for a sin offering:
(17)  And for a sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he goats, five lambs of the first year: this was the offering of Nahshon the son of Amminadab.
(18)  On the second day Nethaneel the son of Zuar, prince of Issachar, did offer:
(19)  He offered for his offering one silver charger, the weight whereof was an hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering:
(20)  One spoon of gold of ten shekels, full of incense:
(21)  One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt offering:
(22)  One kid of the goats for a sin offering:
(23)  And for a sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he goats, five lambs of the first year: this was the offering of Nethaneel the son of Zuar.
(24)  On the third day Eliab the son of Helon, prince of the children of Zebulun, did offer:
(25)  His offering was one silver charger, the weight whereof was an hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering:
(26)  One golden spoon of ten shekels, full of incense:
(27)  One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt offering:
(28)  One kid of the goats for a sin offering:
(29)  And for a sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he goats, five lambs of the first year: this was the offering of Eliab the son of Helon.
(30)  On the fourth day Elizur the son of Shedeur, prince of the children of Reuben, did offer:
(31)  His offering was one silver charger of the weight of an hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering:
(32)  One golden spoon of ten shekels, full of incense:
(33)  One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt offering:
(34)  One kid of the goats for a sin offering:
(35)  And for a sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he goats, five lambs of the first year: this was the offering of Elizur the son of Shedeur.
(36)  On the fifth day Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai, prince of the children of Simeon, did offer:
(37)  His offering was one silver charger, the weight whereof was an hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering:
(38)  One golden spoon of ten shekels, full of incense:
(39)  One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt offering:
(40)  One kid of the goats for a sin offering:
(41)  And for a sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he goats, five lambs of the first year: this was the offering of Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai.
(42)  On the sixth day Eliasaph the son of Deuel, prince of the children of Gad, offered:
(43)  His offering was one silver charger of the weight of an hundred and thirty shekels, a silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering:
(44)  One golden spoon of ten shekels, full of incense:
(45)  One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt offering:
(46)  One kid of the goats for a sin offering:
(47)  And for a sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he goats, five lambs of the first year: this was the offering of Eliasaph the son of Deuel.
(48)  On the seventh day Elishama the son of Ammihud, prince of the children of Ephraim, offered:
(49)  His offering was one silver charger, the weight whereof was an hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering:
(50)  One golden spoon of ten shekels, full of incense:
(51)  One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt offering:
(52)  One kid of the goats for a sin offering:
(53)  And for a sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he goats, five lambs of the first year: this was the offering of Elishama the son of Ammihud.
(54)  On the eighth day offered Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur, prince of the children of Manasseh:
(55)  His offering was one silver charger of the weight of an hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering:
(56)  One golden spoon of ten shekels, full of incense:
(57)  One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt offering:
(58)  One kid of the goats for a sin offering:
(59)  And for a sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he goats, five lambs of the first year: this was the offering of Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur.
(60)  On the ninth day Abidan the son of Gideoni, prince of the children of Benjamin, offered:
(61)  His offering was one silver charger, the weight whereof was an hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering:
(62)  One golden spoon of ten shekels, full of incense:
(63)  One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt offering:
(64)  One kid of the goats for a sin offering:
(65)  And for a sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he goats, five lambs of the first year: this was the offering of Abidan the son of Gideoni.
(66)  On the tenth day Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai, prince of the children of Dan, offered:
(67)  His offering was one silver charger, the weight whereof was an hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering:
(68)  One golden spoon of ten shekels, full of incense:
(69)  One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt offering:
(70)  One kid of the goats for a sin offering:
(71)  And for a sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he goats, five lambs of the first year: this was the offering of Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai.
(72)  On the eleventh day Pagiel the son of Ocran, prince of the children of Asher, offered:
(73)  His offering was one silver charger, the weight whereof was an hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering:
(74)  One golden spoon of ten shekels, full of incense:
(75)  One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt offering:
(76)  One kid of the goats for a sin offering:
(77)  And for a sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he goats, five lambs of the first year: this was the offering of Pagiel the son of Ocran.
(78)  On the twelfth day Ahira the son of Enan, prince of the children of Naphtali, offered:
(79)  His offering was one silver charger, the weight whereof was an hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering:
(80)  One golden spoon of ten shekels, full of incense:
(81)  One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt offering:
(82)  One kid of the goats for a sin offering:
(83)  And for a sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he goats, five lambs of the first year: this was the offering of Ahira the son of Enan.
(84)  This was the dedication of the altar, in the day when it was anointed, by the princes of Israel: twelve chargers of silver, twelve silver bowls, twelve spoons of gold:
(85)  Each charger of silver weighing an hundred and thirty shekels, each bowl seventy: all the silver vessels weighed two thousand and four hundred shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary:
(86)  The golden spoons were twelve, full of incense, weighing ten shekels apiece, after the shekel of the sanctuary: all the gold of the spoons was an hundred and twenty shekels.
(87)  All the oxen for the burnt offering were twelve bullocks, the rams twelve, the lambs of the first year twelve, with their meat offering: and the kids of the goats for sin offering twelve.
(88)  And all the oxen for the sacrifice of the peace offerings were twenty and four bullocks, the rams sixty, the he goats sixty, the lambs of the first year sixty. This was the dedication of the altar, after that it was anointed.
(89)  And when Moses was gone into the tabernacle of the congregation to speak with him, then he heard the voice of one speaking unto him from off the mercy seat that was upon the ark of testimony, from between the two cherubims: and he spake unto him.

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Isaiah 57

Does God take his saints?

WEEK 6                                              Isaiah 57      

SATURDAY  Reflections

It feels like a cop-out to say that death may have been better than living, but according to Isaiah 57:1-2, it is true. I have heard this verse quoted many times, especially at the side of someone who has lost a loved one to death. Most of the time it has been said because there was nothing else to say (Silence is better than speaking something which will cause pain). The lack of tack in its use doesn't dismiss the truth, God sometimes allows death to protect His saints.

There are things better than death, but there are also many things worse than death. I have talked to many people who wished they never would have lived to see _______________(you file in the blank). The list of what those things are is long and some I would actually agree with. So it can be understood that God may allow the death of a saint to keep them from facing evil.

 

This being understood, however, does NOT mean that every premature death of a Christian is God saving them from something worse. Claiming that a person has died because God is saving them from worse is presumption on our part. So I go back to the idea silence is best in a grieving situation. You and I don't have the whole picture. This may be the answer in some premature deaths but more often than not, death, like plane accidents, they are the result of human error. We often would just prefer to blame it on God.

Isa 57:1-21
(1)  The righteous perisheth, and no man layeth it to heart: and merciful men are taken away, none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come.
(2)  He shall enter into peace: they shall rest in their beds, each one walking in his uprightness.
(3)  But draw near hither, ye sons of the sorceress, the seed of the adulterer and the whore.
(4)  Against whom do ye sport yourselves? against whom make ye a wide mouth, and draw out the tongue? are ye not children of transgression, a seed of falsehood,
(5)  Enflaming yourselves with idols under every green tree, slaying the children in the valleys under the clifts of the rocks?
(6)  Among the smooth stones of the stream is thy portion; they, they are thy lot: even to them hast thou poured a drink offering, thou hast offered a meat offering. Should I receive comfort in these?
(7)  Upon a lofty and high mountain hast thou set thy bed: even thither wentest thou up to offer sacrifice.
(8)  Behind the doors also and the posts hast thou set up thy remembrance: for thou hast discovered thyself to another than me, and art gone up; thou hast enlarged thy bed, and made thee a covenant with them; thou lovedst their bed where thou sawest it.
(9)  And thou wentest to the king with ointment, and didst increase thy perfumes, and didst send thy messengers far off, and didst debase thyself even unto hell.
(10)  Thou art wearied in the greatness of thy way; yet saidst thou not, There is no hope: thou hast found the life of thine hand; therefore thou wast not grieved.
(11)  And of whom hast thou been afraid or feared, that thou hast lied, and hast not remembered me, nor laid it to thy heart? have not I held my peace even of old, and thou fearest me not?
(12)  I will declare thy righteousness, and thy works; for they shall not profit thee.
(13)  When thou criest, let thy companies deliver thee; but the wind shall carry them all away; vanity shall take them: but he that putteth his trust in me shall possess the land, and shall inherit my holy mountain;
(14)  And shall say, Cast ye up, cast ye up, prepare the way, take up the stumblingblock out of the way of my people.
(15)  For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.
(16)  For I will not contend for ever, neither will I be always wroth: for the spirit should fail before me, and the souls which I have made.
(17)  For the iniquity of his covetousness was I wroth, and smote him: I hid me, and was wroth, and he went on frowardly in the way of his heart.
(18)  I have seen his ways, and will heal him: I will lead him also, and restore comforts unto him and to his mourners.
(19)  I create the fruit of the lips; Peace, peace to him that is far off, and to him that is near, saith the LORD; and I will heal him.
(20)  But the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt.
(21)  There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked.

Photo by Rhodi Alers de Lopez on Unsplash

Numbers 6

WEEK 6                                             Numbers 6     

FRIDAY  Reflections

The vow of the Nazarite (not a being from Nazareth) was a unique personal vow. There doesn’t seem to have certain corresponding works or deeds other than not touching the dead, not touching anything from the grapevine, and not cutting the person’s hair. No one other than the person could tell someone they could or couldn’t be a Nazarite. The most interesting fact I notice is that a Nazarite could be a man or a woman.

The fact that a woman could be a Nazarite was startling in a male-dominated society. As in other places in the law, God is giving women a status they would not have received anywhere else. Many point out the unfairness they see in the Old Testament toward women but fail to appreciate the protections God gave them in a society that devalued and typically ignored them. The Pulpit Commentary said it this way: “As the prophetic office might be exercised by women so the Nazirite vow might be taken by women. In either case, we find a tribute to and a recognition of the Divine liberty of the Holy Ghost, and an anticipation of the time when the spirit of self-devotion should be poured out without distinction upon men and women” (Spence & Exell).

 

God never thought of women as second-class citizens. Society has twisted scripture to make it say what they wanted it to say, but it has never been designed this way by God.

Num 6:1-27
(1)  And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
(2)  Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When either man or woman shall separate themselves to vow a vow of a Nazarite, to separate themselves unto the LORD:
(3)  He shall separate himself from wine and strong drink, and shall drink no vinegar of wine, or vinegar of strong drink, neither shall he drink any liquor of grapes, nor eat moist grapes, or dried.
(4)  All the days of his separation shall he eat nothing that is made of the vine tree, from the kernels even to the husk.
(5)  All the days of the vow of his separation there shall no razor come upon his head: until the days be fulfilled, in the which he separateth himself unto the LORD, he shall be holy, and shall let the locks of the hair of his head grow.
(6)  All the days that he separateth himself unto the LORD he shall come at no dead body.
(7)  He shall not make himself unclean for his father, or for his mother, for his brother, or for his sister, when they die: because the consecration of his God is upon his head.
(8)  All the days of his separation he is holy unto the LORD.
(9)  And if any man die very suddenly by him, and he hath defiled the head of his consecration; then he shall shave his head in the day of his cleansing, on the seventh day shall he shave it.
(10)  And on the eighth day he shall bring two turtles, or two young pigeons, to the priest, to the door of the tabernacle of the congregation:
(11)  And the priest shall offer the one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering, and make an atonement for him, for that he sinned by the dead, and shall hallow his head that same day.
(12)  And he shall consecrate unto the LORD the days of his separation, and shall bring a lamb of the first year for a trespass offering: but the days that were before shall be lost, because his separation was defiled.
(13)  And this is the law of the Nazarite, when the days of his separation are fulfilled: he shall be brought unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation:
(14)  And he shall offer his offering unto the LORD, one he lamb of the first year without blemish for a burnt offering, and one ewe lamb of the first year without blemish for a sin offering, and one ram without blemish for peace offerings,
(15)  And a basket of unleavened bread, cakes of fine flour mingled with oil, and wafers of unleavened bread anointed with oil, and their meat offering, and their drink offerings.
(16)  And the priest shall bring them before the LORD, and shall offer his sin offering, and his burnt offering:
(17)  And he shall offer the ram for a sacrifice of peace offerings unto the LORD, with the basket of unleavened bread: the priest shall offer also his meat offering, and his drink offering.
(18)  And the Nazarite shall shave the head of his separation at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and shall take the hair of the head of his separation, and put it in the fire which is under the sacrifice of the peace offerings.
(19)  And the priest shall take the sodden shoulder of the ram, and one unleavened cake out of the basket, and one unleavened wafer, and shall put them upon the hands of the Nazarite, after the hair of his separation is shaven:
(20)  And the priest shall wave them for a wave offering before the LORD: this is holy for the priest, with the wave breast and heave shoulder: and after that the Nazarite may drink wine.
(21)  This is the law of the Nazarite who hath vowed, and of his offering unto the LORD for his separation, beside that that his hand shall get: according to the vow which he vowed, so he must do after the law of his separation.
(22)  And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
(23)  Speak unto Aaron and unto his sons, saying, On this wise ye shall bless the children of Israel, saying unto them,
(24)  The LORD bless thee, and keep thee:
(25)  The LORD make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee:
(26)  The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.

(27)  And they shall put my name upon the children of Israel; and I will bless them.