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Heavenly Father, may we seek that good that you have placed in every human being as we digest your word today. May the fruits of your Spirit enrich us as we share your thoughts and words with one another.
Response to Numbers 33:40-35:34
From Mount Hor to the valley of Shittim Numbers 33:40-56
This summary of the Exodus listed in Numbers 33:40-49 reviews the events of Numbers 21 following the death of Aaron until the Israelites settled in the valley of Shittim in Numbers 25 where they got mixed up with the Moabites and Midianites. It was from this camp that the following chapters (25-32) took place and it is here we begin again.
Numbers 33:50-56 reflects much of what we will read in Deuteronomy as Moses instructs the Israelites of the honor to the Lord which will be required if they are to retain possession of the promised land. God has such a great desire to be known by His people, he refuses for them to imagine him as some inannimate piece of His creation! "Thou shalt have no graven images before me, just come to me in Spirit and Truth!" The instruction includes a curse. The people of the land have soiled the pure worship of the Lord and have turned toward idol worship and a defilement of God's desire of purity and holiness. As we read over and over in Leviticus, He has required them to be Holy because He is Holy. He is a jealous God who desires the pure devotion and understanding of all of his children. If the people choose to follow the worship practices of the culture they are about to conquer, they too will be destroyed. Too often to date, the seeds of diversity and strife have been sown into the fertile fields of the Lord. Wouldn't it be great if today, we could cultivate those seeds of righteousness that He has given throughout the length and breadth of our world through sharing the purity of His good news of salvation with all people! What a celebration that would be in preparation for that great and awesome day when He can return and harvest fields that have ripened with that righteousness and love He so desires!
The Boundaries are already set Numbers 34
http://www.precept.org/site/DocServer/PFL_SC_Jeremiah2_MAP.pdf?docID=2602 This is a great map from the brook of Egypt and Edom North to Lebenon and Syria
http://www.bible.ca/archeology/bible-archeology-exodus-kadesh-barnea-wilderness-of-zin.htm wonderful study of the Wilderness of Zin, Wilderness of Paran and the Ascent of Akribba except you need to use the other maps to pinpoint the location
http://www.biblestudysite.com/ispal.htm use this map if you want to see the approximate location of the early tribal boundaries and possible locations of many of their cities.
http://net.bible.org/map.php?map=map11 This map shows a great topography of the region. Follow the map index for extended borders, but watch the compass for directional layout.
These maps can be used now or later in studying the tribal boundaries. Note that Caleb, Joshua, and Eleazar will be the leaders as the people enter Canaan and the new leaders of the various tribes. As Numbers 33 served as a summary of past chapters, so Numbers 34 sets the boundaries of what is to come. God will provide if His people will obey.
If we assume this piece of Numbers was written by Moses, we have a powerful message regarding the fact that God knows our future. And yet, we already know this with confidence from other passages from scripture. One of the most well known is Jeremiah 29:11-14; "I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you," declares the Lord,"
Isaiah 40:11 "He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young."
Psalm 23:1 "The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters,
Lord, lead us into that promised land which you have prepared for our presence! May thy Kingdom come.
As For the Levites who shall live in the land Numbers 35:1-15
While in the wilderness, the Levites have been camped around the Tabernacle. Kohathites to the south, Gershonites to the west, Merarites to the north. However, in the coming Kingdom, the servants of God will be dispersed throughout the communities of the tribes. Due to the fact the cities are not named, it would be reasonable to assume that Moses is the author relating the plans God has laid out as reflected in verse 1. Forty eight cities including six cities of refuge are to be given to the Levites.
Isn't it interesting that through much of our history, the religious structures have remained places of refuge such as the cities of refuge mentioned in this passage. It would be interesting to know if this culture was the beginning of this concept! Even today, when we sin, we are able to run to God in prayer seeking refuge. There are generally consequences related to our failures, but ultimately, we have assurance of His atonement as we offer ourselves in repentance and seek after the Joy of our Lord.
The Greater Burden, Intentionally Sinning Numbers 35:16-34
Perhaps the greatest worry regarding the salvation of God is the possibility that man will take such a gift for granted and openly sin against God with intent! This sin has been set apart from accidental sin in Leviticus and is again separated in Numbers 35. Constitutionally, Moses relates many occurances which would be considered murder. If a murderer were caught outside the city by the avenger, the avenger could kill him. However, if the guilty party reached the city of refuge, there would be a trial. If convicted upon the witness of two or more people, the guilty party would be turned over to the avenger who could then take his life. In any case, the community could rescue the guilty party from the avenger until fair trial could be given. If found not guilty of intentional manslaughter, the guilty party would still be required to remain in the city of refuge until the death of the high priest, at which time forgiveness must be given by the avenger.
There is a picture here again of the salvation of God if you will allow it. We each are guilty of sin - both intentional and unintentional. Any of us who would claim otherwise knows of their own dishonesty. This makes us all guilty before God. The avenger (our adversary), therefore requires our life. We may seek refuge either in the church, or perhaps in sheol if you will allow it. If we choose to leave the confines of such solace, observing the guidelines of God almighty, there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth as the avenger shall have his way with us. And yet, God accepted the sacrifice of Jesus Christ to be the death of our High Priest providing our freedom from the confines of sheol and the bloodthirst of our adversary (the avenger of blood). In return for this ransom of our lives, He asks us to live for Him and share this good news of salvation and release those who still find themselves in bondage to sin.
Word of warning: If you feel that you can now intentionally sin based on what I have just shared, be aware that I am but a man of limited understanding. There is every possibility that I may be wrong. If you choose to intentionally sin before the saving grace of God the Father, there is no reason that He should not banish you from His presence for eternity. He seeks no rebellious children - and if you don't want to live with Him, you certainly don't have to. Under those same guidelines, even the righteous must continue to offer up their lives in repentance with songs of praise and thanksgiving for the compassion and grace of a forgiving God as they inevitably fall short of His glory. Killing is killing and the shedding of blood - war, abortion, hatred, bigotry, and the like - have no place within the kingdom of God. Our Lord knows our hearts! He is right here, right now.
Response to Luke 5:12-28
He can make the unclean clean (Luke 5:12-16, Matthew 8:1-4, Mark 1:40-45)
I am an outcast! I am a sinner! I am not worthy to be among the congregation of the righteous! I am not worthy to preach or to teach or to allow you to imagine I am anything other than a man, just like you. And yet, when I present myself within the house of God, I am accepted only because of my Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. He continues to refine me! He continues to scourge me with hyssop. God has pronounced me clean and I am whiter than snow!
Leviticus 13:12-13 "If the disease breaks out all over his skin and, so far as the priest can see, it covers all the skin of the infected person from head to foot, the priest is to examine him, and if the disease has covered his whole body, he shall pronounce that person clean. Since it has all turned white, he is clean.
Galatians 2:20-21 "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!"
When Christ healed the leper in Luke 5:12-16, he sent him to the religious leaders to have him pronounced clean. This would be a sign and a seal that Christ had the power to make men clean. He asked him not to tell men of the physical healing as this was not His purpose on earth. Physical healing was a validation that He was indeed the anointed one - sent from God for the forgiveness of sins. This is reflected again in the next section.
The power not only to heal, but to forgive! Christ and Christ alone? Luke 5:17-26 (Matthew 9:1-8, Mark 2:1-12)
Have you had trouble finding God? Perhaps He's having trouble finding you! Who is it who has to undo the roof to get inside? Break down the walls, fall on your knees and get to know our Father again. If your friends have to carry you inside, let them. Pray that you have friends who will do whatever it takes to bear your burden to bring you into the presence of God! That is one of the greatest things a man can do for his friend. Luke 10:25-37 will tell a story of a Good Samaritan. This man took a wounded man, bandaged his wounds and brought him to the doctor who could bring him back to physical health. The friends in this reading of Luke 5:17-26 ripped open the roof to lower their friend into the presence of the great physician who would heal both body and soul.
This man had no hope - no life. He was paralyzed. The religious rulers from throughout the region were inside the house with Jesus, ready and willing to witness this healing power of which they had heard. Yet, access for the poor, the sick, and the needy of the world was limited and this man and his friends had been shut out. And yet, it was through this outsider that Christ's power would be revealed to the church! His friends had raised the roof and lowered the reality of their friend's needs into the congregation of the righteous. With this poor outcast now in their presence, Jesus shocked the religious crowd that day by not healing the man's physical afflictions, but instead chose to address the spiritual and emotional afflictions - "your sins are forgiven!"
Needless to say, Jesus got the expected response; Luke 5:21 "Who is this fellow who speaks blasphemy? Who can forgive sins but God alone?" Our understanding may then be that Jesus was himself God! And yet, he claimed that we also have such power in Matthew 18:18-20; "I tell you the truth, whatever you bind on earth will be (has been) bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be (has been) loosed in heaven. "Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them." This is as easy as saying "I forgive you." or telling a brother or sister "God forgives you." thereby releasing them from bondage. We have confidence that this is true.
And yet, the story of the paralytic continues as Christ showed he could do more than utter these simple words - he also had access to the power of God over physical affliction and healed the paralytic with the same utterance of simple words. Although there may have been concern about his teachings about the forgiveness of sins, none of them could discount the power of God that was associated with this man. Luke 5:26 "Everyone was amazed and gave praise to God. They were filled with awe and said, "We have seen remarkable things today."
We too have witnessed this awesome power through the historical witness of this written word. How will you respond?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PRZq7Lzz8bE
Response to Psalm 65:1-13
Let's praise our Father for He honors our praise! From mountain and valley, let men joyful songs raise!
He's forgiven our iniquity with unfathomable Love! Blessed are all who joyfully send offerings above!
Thy power how awesome, forgiver of our soul! May joining in your courts be thy children's ultimate goal!
You wow us with mountain grandeur and tempest of sea. We are humbled by our striving apart from thee!
Your creation sustained us throughout generations! Your harvests secured us through new moons and suns!
So we offer our thanks for your bounty Oh God, while with all of creation we humbly applaud!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JEh7Vt9sxmc
Response to Proverbs 11:23
I hope and pray that God our Father will honor the good that can be found in every human being and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Reach out to a brother in Love and forgiveness today.
Until tomorrow
Rick
Monday, March 22, 2010
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