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Our Loving Heavenly Father; Because your love is better than life, our lips will glorify you. We will praise you as long as we live, and in your name we will lift up our hands. If your Children who do not realize your love should read these words, Lord, fill them with your Love, for our God is an awesome God! Amen
Response to Numbers 30:1-31:54
Numbers 30 (honor and protection)
In America, parents generally have rights over their minor children. How many of our children cannot wait to get out of the house! How many parents can't wait to be released from the responsibilities that hinge on the rebellious child as they reach the age of 18?
I can only speak of America here - and of minors, because these are the only laws I am aware of, and don't have time to do a major study. However, I know that it wasn't that many years ago that women's rights were not much better than those of a minor. Certainly, in much of the world, the roles of men and women are still very much like those reflected in today's reading of Numbers 30. In Sharia law, I know the woman has few rights. As Christians in America, we may feel these ways represent the overbearing ideologies of religious zealots, but they reflect Biblical heritage much more closely than the freedoms expressed within America. With that in mind, let's comment on this passage and the teachings or symbolism this passage represents.
First, let's discuss traditional roles. Adam came first; She (Eve) is called woman because she was taken out of man...; But wait! The man leaves his Father and Mother! The man cleaves to the wife! The man cares for the wife! The man protects the wife! She is the mother of all living! She committed the first sin and He did not protect her from the consequences.
Let's jump forward to the Christian era and Paul's freedom church! "Women submit!" let's check that in context, shall we!
Ephesians 5:22-24; "Wives submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything." There is a teaching and the accompanying symbolism we were looking for! Men, the message is to submit to God - not Lord such a verse over your wives! Indeed! Listen to the next portion which speaks as to the man's role;
Ephesians 5:25-28; Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself."
Now, who in their right mind would take any of these verses to mean we should damage our women if they do not submit? Who in their right mind would justify brutality? Jesus gave up His life for the church! Sanctification! Atonement! Protection! Honor! Love!
Now, women, don't take advantage of this teaching, just as mankind should not take advantage of the everlasting Love of God. A great deal of honor and Love is required to make this relationship thing work. Help your man to be a leader among men! Spend time with Him! Forgive him! Praise him! Honor him! Thank him! Love him! Treat him the way he treats God.
Response to Numbers 31 (The Midianite conquest)
In Numbers 22, as Balak had considered the Israeli threat, he reached to the south to the Midianites and to the north to Balaam from Aram. Although we left Balaam on his way back home, he is brought back up in this story. The Amorites had subdued the Moabites before the Israelites had arrived and destroyed them. Perhaps the Midianites had joined them from the south and at this point were allied against Israel. This seemed apparent in the sexual immorality of Numbers 25.
As I read this section, I was surprised to find the vengeance was against the Midianites instead of the Moabites. It seems quite certain from the preceeding chapters that the Moabites were the closest people group and that the Israelites had good relations with the Midianites because of Zipporah's family and the mentoring relationship Moses had with Jethro (Hobab), his father in law. However, the story states that although the Moabite women were the seducers in Numbers 25, Phinehas killed the Israelite man with Cozbi. More is explained as we reflect back on Numbers 25:15-17;
"And the name of the Midianite woman who was put to death was Cozbi daughter of Zur, a tribal chief of a Midianite family. The Lord said to Moses, "Treat the Midianites as enemies and kill them, because they treated you as enemies when they deceived you in the affair of Peor and their sister Cozbi, the daughter of a Midianite leader, the woman who was killed when the plague came as a result of Peor."
Having dealt with the census and laws, we now return to military conquest and the case of the vengeance taken upon the Midianites.
Men will be men! I imagine temptation gets the best of us. However, as the people appeared to have repented of their earlier sin, God moved them through the next step of their conquest of the promised land. His power and providence became readily apparent in today's story, didn't it.
Numbers 31:32-35; "The plunder remaining from the spoils that the soldiers took was 675,000 sheep, 72,000 cattle, 61,000 donkeys and 32,000 women who had never slept with a man.
Numbers 31:49; "Your servants have counted the soldiers under our command, and not one is missing."
Tens of thousands of the enemy destroyed, yet not one Israelite was lost.
Of Taxes and Levy's (vs. 28) "set apart as tribute for the Lord" In the New American Standard Bible (NASB), this is phrased "levy a tax" That word levy is still used today regarding paying tribute or taxes as a percentage of our earnings or winnings. I am guessing this has to do with the tithe required for the Levites in this constitutional era of the nation of Israel and is a reminder of the influence the Bible has had on our culture throughout history.
Of the plunder, 1/2 went to the victorious soldiers and 1/2 was distributed throughout the camp. 1/500th of the soldiers portion was levied, and 1/50th was levied from the camp's portion for the Levites who served the temple and had no other inheritance. A freewill offering of the bounty of jewelry was given as a memorial by the military which included 420 pounds of gold.
Response to Luke 4:1-30
In Luke 2:41-52, we reflected on Jesus as the obedient boy of 12 who's greatest rebellion against his parents was that he would rather be within the temple debating the word of God with the scribes and teachers. Luke 2:52 states; "And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men."
Luke 3:22 described a mighty experience following His baptism by John; "the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: "You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased."
If that wouldn't be enough to tempt a man to be pumped up with pride, I don't know what would! As I mentioned before, I believe the study of scripture was as important for Jesus as for any of us. Luke 4 begins by stating Jesus was full of the Holy Spirit and led by the Holy Spirit for 40 days in the wilderness. We recently discussed the adversary in relation to Balaam in Numbers 22:23 and mentioned the same adversary as Satan presented himself before God in Job 1:6. I believe Luke speaks in the same allegorical style in Luke 4 as Jesus wrestles in Spirit in preparation for His ministry.
This is reflected in the first temptation. Being hungry and having recently heard the words "You are my Son", Jesus is met with the temptation from within "If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread." From his knowledge of scripture, (again, I think this came from years of study and devotion and not from some divine cosmic memory), Jesus remembers Deuteronomy 8:3-5: "He humbled you, causing you to hunger...to teach you that 'man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord'...Know then in your heart that as a man disciplines his son, so the Lord your God disciplines you.
Next, Jesus became aware of the power at his disposal if he were the 'Son of God'! (I am not aware of a verse that says the world belongs to Satan, God never relinquished control over the earth, just the hearts of rebellious men http://video.yahoo.com/watch/439144 Psalm 24) Listen to the temptation through these words:
Psalm 2:7-12a; "I will proclaim the decree of the Lord :He said to me, "You are my Son; today I have become your Father. Ask of me, and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession. You will rule them with an iron scepter; you will dash them to pieces like pottery."
Therefore, you kings, be wise; be warned, you rulers of the earth. Serve the Lord with fear and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest he be angry and you be destroyed in your way, for his wrath can flare up in a moment."
Yet Jesus remembered Isaiah 66:1-2 "This is what the Lord says: "Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. Where is the house you will build for me? Where will my resting place be? Has not my hand made all these things, and so they came into being?" declares the Lord.
"This is the one I esteem: he who is humble and contrite in spirit, and trembles at my word.
Luke records his words as reflecting Deuteronomy 6:13; "Fear the Lord your God, serve him only and take your oaths in his name." When Jesus met the rich young ruler who called him good, Jesus immediately gave the glory to God in response to this lesson; "Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered. "No one is good - except God alone." Mark 10:18.
Perhaps you know what I am talking about when I mention the cheerleader from the TV show Heroes. When she realized she could not die, she would throw herself down from great hights just to see if it was really true! This is reflective of the third temptation Jesus sifted through the word of God as He digested these words; "Son of God!" As He considered Psalm 91:11-12; "For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone."
Jesus related this temptation to Deuteronomy 6:16; "Do not test the Lord your God!"
This was a man of the word. He was known to be devoted to His Father in prayer! He was respected as a Rabbi and taught in the synagogues with power and authority. He did not take the things of God with anything but serious conviction. Yet, he was about to change the world and its understanding of this mighty word that had been around for hundreds if not thousands of years. This gift from God stands ready for you to bring out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old." (Matthew 13:52)
As Jesus returned to his home community, perhaps the opportune time of Luke 4:13 had arrived. Jesus quoted Isaiah 61:1-2 and claimed this scripture was being fulfilled in their hearing and all the people spoke well of him and were impressed as they had seen him grow up as a boy. But then the story took a different turn, didn't it! Without documentation of anyone saying anything, Jesus began reprimanding them and they lost their temper. As with the third temptation we read in Luke 4:9-11, Jesus found himself on a precipice and yet walked away from danger. I must admit, I struggle with this story, and am left with questions I need answers to! How about you?
A similiar story is shared in Matthew 13:53 and carries the statement - ("Isn't this Joseph's son?") - quite a bit further towards the hostility building within the congregation. It is quite well documented that there is not a proverb, "Physician Heal Thyself," on record before this statement that Jesus may have been referring to. However, much of Jesus ministry was against the Jewish people and against the leaders of Judaism of the day. It was his brothers of the faith who despised and rejected Him. Jesus most certainly was being prophetic, and perhaps this community, these brothers and sisters that day, represented Judaism as a body. Certainly, one day, they will look back and see that they were a fulfillment of Isaiah 53:1-3;
"Who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him,
nothing in his appearance that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not."
His eventual rejection by the very faith He excelled in would eventually fulfill Psalms 22:6-8; "But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by men and despised by the people. All who see me mock me; they hurl insults, shaking their heads: "He trusts in the Lord; let the Lord rescue him. Let him deliver him, since he delights in him."
That day would come as this great healer of men - the man who had done such mighty works in Capernaum as mentioned in today's reading - that great physician, beloved of Son of God - hung on display before the rulers of His people on a hill just outside the walls of their most Holy city and those words would be fulfilled; "The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him. They said, "He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Christ of God, the Chosen One." (Luke 23:35)
The next stage of God's Kingdom work on earth would not be centered within the Jewish community! Their time had produced the promised Messiah. His words and his message would be spread throughout the world by the Gentiles, just as Elijah had not been sent to the Jews, but to the widow from Zarephath and Elisha's ministry touched those outside of the Jewish faith.
His actions of that day were prophetic and symbolic just as the word of God had always been and shall always be. Things continue progressing according to plan.
Response to Psalm 63:1-11
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0qs9sCQ2X0U&feature=related Psalm 63:3 "Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you."
The heading for this Psalm states that this is; " A psalm of David. When he was in the Desert of Judah." This is supposed to reflect I Samuel 23:15-24:7 as David is hiding in the caves near En-Gedi (Jeshimon)
What a wonderful way to begin a prayer! David seeks God and expresses his thirst for His presence. I am reminded of Psalm 42:1 "As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God."
And yet, David does not feel the Lord's presence. He is in a dry parched land and that thirst needs to be quenched! Without complaining, He praises and thanks God for past experiences and promises to sing God's praises yet as His Love is better than life!
Even in this dry and thirsty land, David remembers that God has been his help and he recounts those blessings on sleepless nights. He knows that God alone offers the hope of His salvation and he dares not let go.
He calls for judgement on the adversary. For an end to the troubles that plague his soul. Yet, as we see in I Samuel 24:12, David spares Saul's life and leaves the vengeance against the enemy in the capable hands of God.
I Samuel 24;12 "May the Lord judge between you and me. And may the Lord avenge the wrongs you have done to me, but my hand will not touch you." Such is the heart of the children of God.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0VeQrymN568 "I Need Thee Every Hour"
Psalm 63 appears to be a sister Psalm to Psalm 42 as the final verse reflects Psalm 42:11 also: "Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.
Response to Proverbs 11:20-21
Prov. 11:20 The LORD detests men of perverse heart but he delights in those whose ways are blameless.
Psalm 14:3 "All have turned aside, they have together become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one.
21 Be sure of this: The wicked will not go unpunished, but those who are righteous will go free.
Proverbs 3:12; "because the Lord disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in.
Psalm 51:7; "Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
Book of Wisdom 4:20-5:2 "Fearful shall they come, at the counting up of their sins, and their lawless deeds shall convict them to their face. Then shall the just one with great assurance confront his oppressors who set at nought his labors. Seeing this, they shall be shaken with dreadful fear, and amazed at the unlooked-for salvation.
Until tomorrow
Rick
Saturday, March 20, 2010
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