I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on Numbers 8-10. 

I don’t want to spend much time on this, but with the dedication of the Levites to God we have more of a sort of foreshadowing of the relationship between Jesus and His twelve apostles.  I know that I have not done a good job of explaining the meaning of that connection, but I hope my comments on it have provided food for thought for my readers about it.

Having said that I want to look at the the discussion here of the Second Passover.  In a way, we have two apparently contradictory things.  First, we have a group of people who are upset that they will miss out on celebrating the Passover.  But then we have Moses  giving a command to cut off from the entire people anyone who is ceremonially able to celebrate the Passover at its proscribed time who does not do so.  This tells us a lot about people.  There are aspects of worshiping God which we should be eager to take part in, that if we are right with God we will be eager to take part in.  Nevertheless, there will be people who choose to forgo those celebrations.

When I first read this passage, I wanted to write something about the fiery cloud which settled over the Tabernacle when the Israelites were camped, which rose and moved to direct them where to go next.  Considering the difficulty I have discerning God’s guidance for my life, this seems like a wonderful thing.  Yet, despite this visual evidence of God’s guidance, many of the Israelites still questioned Moses’ leadership.  Which makes me wonder if perhaps my inability to discern God’s guidance is not a lack of clarity, and obviousness, in the message He sends to guide me but rather in my resistance to doing what He wants me to do.  I will continue to pray that He open my eyes to the path He wishes me to follow.

I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on Numbers 5-6.

I find the vow of the Nazirite interesting and slightly mysterious.  The description seems to imply that the reader will already know what the vow is about so only the ritual of the vow need be described.  This leads me to wonder if the vow of the Nazirite was just a vow of dedication to God for some set period of time, similar to some of the vows of asceticism taken by many during the Middle Ages.  On the other hand, I read hints that it was a type of vow some took about a course of action they would follow.  Ultimately, I think that someone vowed to follow the rituals of the Nazirite for some length of time as an effort to get closer to God, even though every time I read this it feels as if there is some thing the writer is referring to but never wrote down.

I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on Numbers 3-4.

In this passage we have a reference back to the first Passover while the Israelites were still in Egypt.  The first born sons of the Egyptians all died, while the first born sons of the Israelites were spared.  As a result, God claims the first born sons as His.  However, it was impractical to separate out the first born sons from all of Israel to be dedicated to serving God.  So, God designated the Levites as substitutes for the first born sons of the rest of Israel.  Which brings to an interesting thing.  The number twelve was important to the Israelites, but Jacob had adopted Joseph’s two sons as his own, substituting the two of them for Joseph, bringing the total number of tribes to thirteen.  Now the Levites are set aside to serve God as His chosen tribe, creating something analogous to when Jesus, God’s Chosen One, selected the Twelve Apostles.

When Moses had counted the other tribes, he counted all males 20 years old and older.  However, when he counted the Levites he counted all males one month old and older.  The difference was the purpose for which they were being counted.  The men of the other tribes were being counted to identify who could fight for the people of Israel, while the Levites were being counted to identify who could serve the Lord.