Numbers 8-9
Most of what is happening here is in retrospect; that is, it happened before the census that begins the book. It is looking back to the order of service and the servants of the Tabernacle and then to the first Passover in the Tabernacle. If you look at the date notation of Numbers 9:1-5, you'll notice it is about 15 days earlier than the date given for the census in Numbers 1:1. Apparently God doesn't know North Americans always like to read things in chronological order. Actually, when this was written, who were the North Americans? Maybe they wouldn't have minded.
Num. 8:1-4
These were the lampstands inside the Tabernacle, but not the one lampstand in the Holy Place. This was an instruction not given earlier.
Num. 8:5-26
This cleansing of the Levites actually took place before the Passover feast in chapter 9. Logistically, this would have taken a few days, and it was important to get the Levites cleansed so they could serve in the Passover preparation and following feast.
So, the Levites were cleansed outside and in. I don't know how to read verse 7. I mean, they didn't have to be bald, so does this mean shaving everything (armpits, etc,.) or was it just some kind of trimming? It wasn't required for Aaron or his sons, and from this point on was never required of any priest or any Levite.
My understanding of this is that it was a very visual, one-time cleansing, and that they shaved all the hair off their bodies, head to toe, like making them newborns, showing they were born for the service of Israel. The people actually laid hands on them to set them apart for the service. Read what it says about the Levites taking the place of the firstborns and the link to the Passover night when the firstborns were killed.
Notice that it mentions a couple of times that Aaron offered the Levites as a wave offering. Usually the priest waved sheaves of barley or wheat in thanks to God for the harvest and then this offering belonged to the priests. This meant that whatever symbolism was present for Pentecost and the Feast of the First Fruits was present here also. The wave offering was a thanks for the provision and blessing of God, there represented in His provision of food, and here in His provision of service for the people. This tribe was given to serve and protect (v.19).
Take your time reading this and do a lot of underlining. There is a lot of interesting stuff and lots of symbolism.
Symbolically, I think that this is what the church is meant to be to the world.
Romans 12:1 I appeal to you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.
Romans 15:15 But on some points I have written to you very boldly by way of reminder, because of the grace given me by God 16 to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles in the priestly service of the gospel of God, so that the offering of the Gentiles may be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.
1 Peter 2:9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's own people, that you may declare the wonderful deeds of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.
Num. 9:1-14
This Passover means that the people have been out of Egypt for one year. God has done some incredible work in a year, making them a nation with laws, and giving them a central place for worship.
Notice in v. 6 there are actually guys who understood the laws and realized they were out of step and came to Moses and Aaron. What this tells me, is that even though they were more than 2 million people, they were really obeying. I can't think of any group of two million people anywhere who all obey anything. It says in the text that it happened here. Too bad it wouldn't last very long.
Num. 9:15-23
This is a summary of what happened when they moved. The Tabernacle has just been set up, and the order of Priests and Levites and the plan for taking down and setting up the Tabernacle has just been given. Israel, organized as they are now, has never marched. That will happen tomorrow. Get ready.
There are so many things in this section that are amazing. God's grace to them. The detail of His organization. The absolute certainty of His blessing. That they had a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. How much more secure and blessed and confident as a nation could you be. And with all of that, in a couple of chapters you'll want to cry.
We, of course, are no better. Given the absolute blessing of the Father. Secure eternally in Christ. Indwelt by the Holy Spirit. This is exactly why we need the church, if the church is comprised of disciples following Christ into the harvest to glorify the Father by bearing fruit and so proving to be disciples of the Lord. We need each other to keep us encouraged and focused and in the truth and in the harvest and aflame in His love. We need each other. None of us is always up and always feeling great about ourselves or our walk with the Lord. This whole thing is very serious, full of joy and purpose and mission to be sure, but we get tired and we forget the stakes are grave and that people without Christ, from every race and nation and language are, in some sense, our responsibility. We are to be those consecrated people, set apart by God, to give our lives, in service to Christ, to reach them, that they might be saved. This is the love and joy of Christ. To exist for the purpose of worship services and pot lucks has nothing to do with the true love of Christ, and it's not a lot of fun. It only gets us the kind of temporary devotion we see all over today, and what we'll see in Israel in the next week.
Mark 13:14-37
Mark 13:14-23
Jesus is now issuing a future warning to the believing Jews who will be in Jerusalem during the tribulation at the close of the age. The judgment of the Lord on the earth will last 7 years. The first 3.5 years will take their toll in natural disasters, but Israel will enjoy peace from the attack of its neighbors. During this time there will be a revival of faith among the Jews, not only in a return to orthodoxy, bringing about the rebuilding of the temple, but many will come to faith in Jesus as their Messiah. These followers of Christ will become the greatest missions movement in history and blanket the earth. The hour of the Nation as a witness to the world will come. People from every nation will believe. In Jerusalem there will be 2 witnesses, like Moses and Aaron, who will be calling down all of this trouble. The book of Revelation shows us the "heavenly" side of what is happening (broken seals, etc…) but they will be the human side of the story.
At the midway point in these 7 years, there will be a judgment in heaven. Satan will be cast out and everything will become much darker. The witnesses will be slain. Satan's human governor, the "anti-Christ," will finally be fed up with the Jews and the spread of faith (resistance to his rule); and he will launch a campaign of extermination, both against the Jews and against all believers in Christ. At this middle point, He will break the peace agreement with Israel, enter the temple and defile it, making it unholy by setting up an image of some kind of abomination, and declare himself to be god or like god, a kind of Christ. At this point, when those living in that generation who are in Jerusalem, hear of this guy entering the temple, they are to fly into the hills.
Verse 19 means that things will get exponentially worse. The tribulation will kick into afterburner. Both Jews and Christians will be sought and killed worldwide, and yet, they will be hidden by some of the people on the planet. Let's call them the sheep. Not everyone will be blind to how the Word of God is playing out. There will be a minority from every nation who will have faith. Yet the time will be so intense that it would lead to the human race exterminating itself. The Jews as a people will cry out, somewhere, somehow, "Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord," and, as Jesus promised when He wept over Jerusalem before His crucifixion, He will come, in the clouds, returning to the Mt. of Olives where He left His disciples.
All of this will make sense for the people going through it. Verse 23 is Jesus' encouragement and warning to them.
Mark 13:24-31
This all is a summary of Jesus' coming, short and sweet. In the parables, Jesus describes this as "the close of the age." A new age will begin. He will reign 1000 years on the earth.
The generation mentioned in v. 30 is the generation that sees the temple defiled by the abomination that makes desolate.
Mark 13:32-37
The hour of verse 32 is the initial time of the beginning of the 7 years. Nothing will ever be normal again after the start, just like in the days of Noah. Things seemed fine up until the first drop.
When this all begins is not for us to know. So, to make a cool transition and to figure out what we are supposed to stay awake for and what we're supposed to be doing, let's go to the disciples asking this question to Jesus.
Acts 1:6 So when they had come together, they asked him, "Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?" 7 He said to them, "It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has fixed by his own authority. 8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the end of the earth." 9 And when he had said this, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. 10 And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, 11 and said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven."
Psalm 50
So my question is, did you read 50 Psalms last year? If not, congratulations! What an amazing thing, and it's only March.
Your observations here are more valuable than anything I have to say.
This is the first Psalm we've read by Asaph, the chief of David's singers. Asaph was present when David brought the Ark of the Covenant into Jerusalem, and the sons of Asaph were present in temple worship throughout Israel's history.
Jesus just talked about the tribulation. Look at verse 3, in fact, you can almost read the entire Psalm in terms of God refining His people and preparing them for the final day of judgment on the earth.
Proverbs 10:29-30
What is interesting in this stronghold, is that it is relational. Knowing God and loving Him, following His way, is not dependent on education or wealth or race. The Lord protects those who love Him and follow Him, yet the reaction of those who resist Him ruin them.
The sin within us is still the number one killer of mankind. That is why we follow Him in the harvest, abiding in the vine, bringing the salvation that only He can bring.
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.
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