March 6, Reading Notes

Numbers 6-7

Num. 6:1-21

The Nazirite vow was taken by a person wanting to dedicate themselves to the Lord for some special task or perhaps in seeking some answer from the Lord. There is no time limit determined. The two notable things in this vow are that the person couldn't eat or drink anything having to do with a grape (the symbol of pleasure and prosperity) and they had to let their hair grow long, making them stand out socially. In spite of all the depictions of men's hairstyles in ancient days so that the guys looked like Chip & Dale (sp?), I think short hair was the rule. Long hair, like the Nazirite would have, stood out.

The two notable men in the Bible who were Nazirites were Samson and John the Baptist. Samson, it should be noted, broke all the rules of a Nazirite but one, and you know what happened there. Of all men born, Jesus was the most dedicated to God. When it says in Matthew, "He shall be called a Nazarene," it is either referring to where He grew up, or it could be referring to His name in Isaiah 11:1, Branch (Nazareth means branch). Although Matthew is referring to something in the OT, we'll have to ask him and God what it was when we get to Heaven, because there are no obvious references. If "Nazirite" is meant, it is a very special category because Jesus drank wine and touched dead things (Ok, He did make them alive again). Also, Jesus probably had short hair, otherwise Paul maligned Him when he wrote in 1 Corinthians 11:14, "Does not even nature itself teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a dishonor to him,…"

There is a very interesting reference to Nazirites in Amos if you're up for looking for it.

Num. 6:22-27

There was intentionality in everything God did. Even in the blessing of the people, He didn't leave it up to Aaron to come up with one. What would it sound like if you changed out some of the words and it went like, "Lord, I need you to bless me and keep me….I need you to make your face…." You get the idea. It all has to do with our need for the Lord.

Num. 7:1-9

Apparently this is looking back to the dedication of the Tabernacle and the altar. In preparation for the moving of the Tabernacle toward the promised land, the tribes brought an offering of oxen and carts for the service of the Levites and then offerings to dedicate the altar.

Notice verse 9. David should have read this, or rather, he should have been advised by the priests and Levites. These guys didn't need any oxen, because all of this holy furniture was to be carried on their shoulders.

Num. 7:10-89

It is significant that Judah is the first tribe to offer their sacrifice. They will be the "alpha" tribe for the rest of Israel's history.

2.5 shekels was about an ounce. If you're curious, you can figure out the value of the metals by Googling the exchange rates for today.

Mark 12:38-13:13

Mark 12:38-44

In Mark, these are Jesus' last publicly spoken words in His public ministry. The rest will be for the disciples.

Funny that the last thing He said was to beware of the scribes. The scribes figured out and taught the laws that issued down to the people. Apparently, some of the "laws" they made either took widows' houses from them or persuaded the widows to give their houses to the temple and the scribes lived in them.

Oddly enough, the next, and last, story of Jesus' public ministry has to do with a widow who gave everything she had, in contrast to those who gave much more, but out of their abundance.

For us as disciples, we need to think about this. We tire quickly of giving out of our abundance. Most of us have reserves that are undreamed of by other people on this planet. The Lord has a special place in His heart for sacrifice that shows absolute desire to give everything to Him.

Mark 13:1-13

We've already had something like this in Matthew. What does it make you think of? I see two things happening. First, things will get a lot worse. Second, there will be persecution of those who follow Christ. What Jesus is saying here has a near and a far fulfillment. The near fulfillment will be the judgment of that particular generation, climaxing in the destruction of Jerusalem in 70AD. The far fulfillment will be in the Tribulation.

For us as disciples, we know that things will only get worse, so the work we need to do is in the harvest, not trying to make heaven on earth (or complaining about the lack thereof).

Psalm 49

The part of this Psalm that struck me was verse 14, "death shall be their shepherd." I know there is a sense in which the arrogant and unbelieving get what they deserve, but we still need to try and flag them down as they go speeding by, to warn them the bridge is out.

Proverbs 10:27-28

Amen again! The fear of the Lord molds our view of life and expectations, leading us to joy. Those who disregard the Lord have no clue. This is what leads them to a tragic end.

If you’re reading along and don’t have a One Year Bible, click on this link Every Day in the Word. If that doesn't work, go to http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/devotions/ and click on “Every Day in the Word.” 

I'm writing these comments to and for those who are following a One Year Bible and interested in growing deeper as a disciple, following Jesus in the harvest. My hope is to see the growth of a discipleship culture in the church. Groups of 3-4 disciples, meeting weekly, encouraging each other to follow Christ and work to reach out and make disciples who make disciples. The Bible itself is the most universal manual we have and key to our growth and service in Christ. Nothing keeps us more focused on why we are here or what we are to be doing. My comments are only meant to provide some explanation of the events or to show the flow of God's plan of redemption. My comments are in no way exhaustive, but are designed to keep us focused on Christ and our role in His harvest. My hope is that the people in these groups will grow in Christ and be willing, after a year, to find 3 others to meet with and encourage in their growth as disciples, disciples making disciples in the harvest.

If you would like a more descriptive commentary that is still readable and concise, I'd recommend the Bible Knowledge Commentary. It's keyed to the NIV, so the result is, the commentators are constantly telling you what the Greek or Hebrew is. That never hurts.

I am not endorsing any particular One Year Bible; in fact, I read something you don't, die revidierte Lutherbibel 1984.

Anyone reading along with us is welcome to do so and is encouraged to take their own notes and make their own observations. If the comments made do not agree with your particular tradition or understanding, that's OK. Nothing I've written is meant to criticize any point of view, but only to express the truth of what God has written to us, as I understand it.