Tag Archives: Numbers

Numbers 31, John 4

— by on

In Numbers 31, Moses is commanded to perform one more task before he died – to organise the attack on Midian. This attack was “the Lord’s vengeance on Midian”, for their role in causing Israel to sin with the daughters of Moab, back in Numbers 25. 12000 men of Israel were accompanied by Phinehas, the son of Eleazar the priest, along with vessels of the sanctuary. The battle resulted in no deaths among the Israelites.

It’s a gruesome account of one of Israel’s many battles, yet it serves as a reminder to us that God keeps His promises, both of grace and of vengeance. He promised Abraham that He would curse those that cursed Israel, and this battle against the Midianites is an example of that.

By contrast, we read in John 4 of the healing power of God’s word. It is “living water”, with the ability to become in us “a spring of water welling up to eternal life”, if we consume it regularly and let it affect our lives.  God is seeking people to worship him in spirit and truth, to drink of living water and never thirst again.

 

Numbers 28, John 1

— by on

Numbers 28 summarises the offerings required of Israel under the law; the various daily offerings, the offerings specifically for the Sabbath, the monthly offerings, the special offerings for feasts throughout the year. They were offered time and again, reinforcing to Israel the consequences of their sin.

By contrast, in John 1, we are introduced to “the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world”. John the baptist was a witness to the unique qualities of this lamb, “the true light, which gives light to everyone… for the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ”.

Like John, we are called upon to be witnesses of God’s grace and mercy, of His great love in offering us a relationship we could never deserve.  In Jesus “was life, and the life was the light of men”, and so we are to be lights shining in darkness, reflecting God’s glory.

Ephesians 5-6, Numbers 25

— by on

Ephesians is not just a letter that outlines the way God would include the Gentiles in His plan for salvation. It is also a letter full of practical advice, ways for us to respond to God’s love. Chapter 4 concluded “forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you“, and chapter 5 commences “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love“. We have been forgiven by God, and so Paul encourages us to imitate God, as a child imitates their parent, showing to those around us the same love a parent has for their child.

Paul warns against sexual immorality, a warning we hear often. But Paul puts covetousness at the same level. I think this is a significant challenge for us in a consumer-driven society; covetousness is reinforced on a daily basis, yet Paul strongly warns against it.

Paul exhorts instead to “Walk as children of light… and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord.” Discipleship is not passive or blind, it is up to us to use the light of Christ’s example to see what we should be doing, and where we should be heading. “when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, for anything that becomes visible is light… look carefully then how you walk“. So let’s put on the whole armour of God, daily battling against sin, strengthened by the knowledge that God is rich in mercy.

 

Numbers 19, Galatians 5-6

— by on

In Numbers 19 we read of the sacrifice of the red heifer, an offering made without the camp, a key ingredient in the “water for impurity” used for ritual cleaning of those who have come into contact with the dead. This sacrifice was in a sense outside the law, being offered by Eleazar rather than the high priest. It symbolised some aspects of Christ’s sacrifice, being restricted to animals without blemish and not used as a farm animal. But it was imperfect – the work of producing the water for impurity itself made 3 others unclean until the evening.

In Galatians 5-6 the contrast between the sacrifice of Christ and the ritualised sacrifices of the law is highlighted. “For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery… neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love.” For all the special provisions under the law, it could never offer freedom.

But we are “led by the Spirit” rather than the law, exhorted to show the fruit of the Spirit in our lives, having “crucified the flesh with its passions and desires”. So let us “keep in step with the Spirit… and let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up”.

 

 

Numbers 12

— by on

In Numbers 12, we learn of the special relationship God had with Moses. God describes Moses as “my servant Moses. He is faithful in all my house. With him I speak mouth to mouth, clearly, and not in riddles, and he beholds the form of the Lord.”  This occasion is the first of 5 when God’s glory is shown, and on each occasion it is because of Israel rebelling against God. Moses himself was “very meek, more than all people who were on the face of the earth”; any questioning of his authority was responded to by God directly. Moses was not proud of his special relationship with God, he didn’t use it to his advantage.

As disciples of Christ, covered by his sacrifice, we enjoy a close relationship with God. It’s not because of our own ability, but a gift from God. We should approach challenges with meekness and humility, allowing God to deal with them as He sees fit. This meekness was seen in Christ’s attitude towards the Romans during his trial, “he was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter”. He “suffered unjustly”, as Peter encourages us to do, placing trust in God.

 

 

Numbers 35, John 8

— by on

Jesus said to his disciples, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”  The freedom Jesus is talking about is the slavery to sin. We’re blessed to have access to God through the work of Christ, rather than relying on cities of refuge for a limited form of mercy.

By listening to and following Jesus’ words, we have guidance on the way to live as children of God, in a relationship of love instead of slavery, walking in light rather than darkness.  It’s up to us to hear and receive the words of God, since doing so identifies us as being of God.

 

Numbers 17-18, Proverbs 13, Galatians 3-4

— by on

Such a contrast between Numbers and the ritual sacrifices and cleanness that formed a key part of the Law of Moses, and Galatians, where “the righteous shall live by faith”. We’re so blessed to have been offered life through Christ, rather than condemnation under the law, to have an inheritance based on God’s promise.

Solomon writes “whoever despises the word brings destruction on himself, but he who reveres the commandment will be rewarded”. Knowledge of God is important to appreciate all that He has done for us, and to understand that “we are not children of the slave but of the free woman”, just as the Galatians needed to understand the true gospel.