anitasanecdotes

Numbers 4 deals with the moving of the tent of meeting and its contents when the people of Israel break camp. Specific clans and ancestral houses of the tribe of the Levites are assigned to the different tasks. Male members of those clans form thirty to fifty years of age are selected for this important duty. The tent of meeting and its contents are to be carried by hand as it is moved from place to place. It is assumed that the members of the clans trade places while they are carrying the items. There are over eight thousand men in total assigned to carrying the Tent of Meeting.

The clan of the Kohathites is responsible for carrying the holy things from the sanctuary. Most of these are fixed with poles so that the men do not touch these things. Only Aaron and his sons are able to touch the items in order to pack them up. If anyone else touches or even looks at these things he will die.

Numbers 5 primarily deals with those who are defiled either by illness or by sin. Much attention is given to an unfaithful wife. If a man suspects his wife of being with another man he brings his wife to the priest along with a grain offering of jealousy, a grain offering of remembrance which brings iniquity to remembrance. The priest combines some holy water with dust from the floor of the tabernacle. The woman takes the oath of the curse and is forced to drink the water. If she is guilty she will become very sick: unable to conceive and suffering from dysentery and pain.  If she is innocent she will not suffer any illness after drinking the water.

I have taken youth to Mexico for short term mission trips. We were always cautioned to keep our hands and eating and drinking implements clean and free of dirt. Sometimes folks would allow their thermoses lay in the dirt. If they were unable to clean the dirt completely from the thermos they would ingest a little of it. Several times these people would get very sick with dysentery, often resulting in hospitalization. This punishment seems very realistic given my experience. God certainly must have known of the woman’s innocence in order to protect her from disease.

In Acts 15 a dispute arises regarding whether Gentiles must be circumcised in order to be saved. After much discussion Peter reminds them of the fact that God has chosen these people and they are saved through the grace of Jesus. It is decided to accept their salvation without circumcision but to require that they abstain from things polluted by idols, from fornication, form whatever has been strangled, and from blood. Barsabbas and Silas accompany Paul and Barnabas to take the letter to the Gentiles and to instruct them in the faith.

Paul and Barnabas get ready to return to the cities they had visited before. Barnabas wants to take John Mark with them but Paul still harbors anger at john Mark for leaving them. Paul and Barnabas part ways and they go to different churches.

Even in the early church disputes arise. Differences of opinion about the practice of the Christian faith have always been with us. Just as Peter reminded the apostles and elders, God continues to be in control. It is through the grace of Jesus Christ that we have been chosen by God to be a member of the kingdom. God does this regardless of the “rules” we may feel are so important. We must come to some consensus in how to live peaceably and accept that God might be doing a new thing.

In Numbers 2 God sets up the camp around the tent of meeting. We learned in the last chapter that the Levites camped closest to the tent of meeting to guard it. The rest of the people surround the Levites by their ancestral houses. Each tribe and clan remains separate from each other. The camps face the tent of meeting.

In Numbers 3 God puts the Levites under the control of Aaron and his sons. Their task is to tend the tabernacle and its contents.  Aaron’s sons and descendants are registered as the priests of the people of Israel.

God then establishes all the Levites as substitutes for the firstborn of the Israelites. After God killed the firstborn of the Egyptians He established that the firstborn of all the Israelites were to be consecrated to Him. Now God is accepting the Levites as the consecrated ones. A census of the tribe of Levi is taken. This enrollment is different from the others in that the other enrollments consist of males 20 years old and older, whereas the Levite enrollment consists of males one month old and older. The consecration of the Levites is a lifelong proposition. They would be trained from childhood to be the caretakers of the tent of meeting and later the temple.

Each clan of the Levites is camped together around the tent of meeting. Each clan has a particular duty in caring for the tent of meeting. Eleazar, Aaron’s son oversees the work of the Levites in charge caring for the sanctuary. Moses, Aaron and Aaron’s sons camp in front of the tent of meeting. They are responsible for performing the rites in the sanctuary on behalf of the people. Any outsiders who come near the tent are to be killed.

Even though God accepts the Levites as His, the firstborn males of all the Israelites are registered when they are one month old. The difference in the number of Levites versus the firstborn males of the rest of the Israelites needed to be redeemed by a monetary assessment.

In Acts 14, Paul and Barnabas have the same experience as they did earlier. They speak in the synagogue first and many believe. Those Jews who do not believe rile up people. Attempts are made to mistreat the apostles and they leave for  another place. Wherever they are Paul and Barnabas boldly proclaim the good news

While they are in Lystra Paul heals a lame man. The people, who worship other gods, think that Barnabas and Paul are Zeus and Hermes come to earth. They try to offer a sacrifice to the apostles. Paul and Barnabas tell the people they are mortals who are worship the living God. They encourage the people to turn from their gods and turn toward the living God who has given them blessings even though they do not believe.

The unbelieving Jews from Antioch and Iconium are able to sway the crowds against the apostles. They stone Paul and leave him for dead. As the new disciples gather around Paul he got up and went into Lystra.

Paul and Barnabas went on to another city continuing to proclaim the good news and gaining more disciples. They return to the cities they have visited and encourage the disciples to continue in their faith despite the persecution. In each church elders were appointed and they were entrusted to the Lord.

Many come to believe in Jesus because of miracles performed or charismatic leaders. It is important to believe in Jesus not because of a leader or because of what he can do for you, but because he is who he is, the Son of the living God. True faith is not just a fair weather faith. It sees us through the difficult times and strengthens us when life tries to lead us astray.

Leviticus 27 speaks of redeeming property of any kind that has been consecrated to the Lord. It is interesting that things that are donated to the Lord may be purchased back.

Congratulations, you have finished yet another book of the Old Testament.

Numbers 1 begins with a census of the males aged 20 and older who are able to go to war. Moses, Aaron and a representative from each of the 12 tribes completes the census. Everyone is registered except those from the tribe of Levi. Rather than going to war they are to take care of the tabernacle of the covenant. They are responsible for carrying it form place to place, tending it, and camping around it to guard it. No other people are permitted to tend the tabernacle. If they come near they will die.

In Acts 13 the Holy Spirit selects Barnabas and Saul to go on a missionary journey. John Mark (the believed writer of the gospel of Mark) assists them. They always approach the synagogues first whenever they enter a town.

While they are in Paphos a proconsul asks them to come and tell him about Jesus. His magician tries to convince the proconsul not to listen. Saul, also known as Paul, confronts the magician and says that he will be blinded because he moved against the Lord. Immediately, the magician goes blind. The proconsul believes in the Lord.

Paul and Barnabas continue on, but John returns to Jerusalem. They arrive in Antioch and Paul preaches about the history of the people of Israel from the time of Moses to King David. He explains that Jesus comes from David’s line. He continues that Jesus followed John and was rejected by those in Jerusalem. He speaks of Jesus death and resurrection, which fulfills some of the psalms of David. Paul says that forgiveness is offered through Jesus.

The leaders of the synagogue contradict what Paul preached. Paul and Barnabas rebuke them begin to speak to the Gentiles. The Gentiles believed, but the Jews drove them away. They shake the dust off of their feet and move on.

When we share our faith with others some will believe and others will not. That should not concern us. We are called only to tell others about Jesus and let the Holy Spirit do the rest.

In Leviticus 25 God establishes that the people should give the land a rest every seven years. In that year they are not to sow seed or prune the vineyards. They may eat of whatever the land produces by itself.

Every fifty years God establishes the year of jubilee. It is again a year of Sabbath for the fields. It is also a time when any property that has been purchased is restored to its former owner. This is to remind the people that they are strangers in the land. This is a time of redemption and reconciliation. It should be noted that the year of jubilee has never been observed.

Leviticus 26 speaks of the faithfulness of the people of Israel and God’s faithfulness to them. If they keep the laws He has set out God will bless them generously. If however they disobey, God promises to punish them severely. If they confess their sin, are humbled and make amends for their sin God promises to keep the covenant He made with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

Psalm 25 speaks of God’s steadfast love and faithfulness. He is faithful to teach the humble His ways and to lead them in righteousness. David humbly asks God’s forgiveness for himself and for Israel.

In Leviticus 23 God establishes his festivals. God begins with a reminder that every seventh day is to be a Sabbath, a day of complete rest and a holy gathering of the people. While Sabbath is not a festival perhaps God intends it to be a little festival day each week, set apart for the Lord.

These are the festivals God establishes:

Passover and Unleavened Bread – these are related festivals remembering the exodus.

First Fruits – the harvest of the first crop.

Weeks or Pentecost (fifty) – this festival occurs seven weeks or fifty days after the festival of Unleavened Bread. It commemorates the second harvest.

Trumpets

Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) – a day of self-denial and atonement for sins

Booths or Tabernacles – a festival thanksgiving for the autumn harvest, which also celebrates Israel’s deliverance from Egypt.

Each of these festivals involves at least one day of Sabbath rest, a gathering (convocation) of the people and a burnt offering of one kind or another. These are holy days set aside to the Lord.

In Leviticus 24 God establishes that there should be a lamp burning continuously in the tabernacle (tent of meeting). Also there should always be bread on the table to remind the people of their covenant with God.

A man, who is the son of an Israelite woman and an Egyptian man, blasphemes the holy Name YHWH. God orders that he be taken out of the camp and stoned to death. Any who blaspheme the name of the Lord will be killed. God also establishes that the penalty for murder is death. Killing of an animal requires restitution and maiming of another requires like maiming. These laws apply for both those who are Israelites and those who are not.

In Acts 12 King Herod begins to persecute the Christians in Jerusalem. After he sees that this pleases the Jewish authorities he arrests Peter and puts him in prison. This occurs on what I believe is one year after Jesus arrest. The night before Herod plans to bring Peter out to be killed an angel of the Lord appears in the prison. He frees Peter and tells Peter to follow him. Peter is given safe passage to the home of John Mark. When the maid tells the family that Peter is outside their house they do not believe it. Peter continues to knock on the door until they let him in. He tells them what God did for him. Peter goes to another place to hide.

Herod could not find Peter. He went to Caesarea to hold court. While he was there he spoke and did not give glory to God. God killed Herod.

King Herod moved against the Christians and ultimately God had the last word. The message of the good news continued to spread.

In Leviticus 21 and 22 God speaks to the priests again. He speaks to them about proper conduct in order to remain holy. He also speaks further about proper donations and offerings. Much of his discussion is about being and using animals that have no blemish.

God did not want to come in contact with anyone or anything that was not perfect, that is, without flaw. This is difficult reading for the Christian who believes that God accepts us even as we are flawed. We must remember what Jesus has done for us in making us acceptable to the Lord. He has remade us without flaw and presents us to God as a holy offering. We are holy because he is holy. This is why we are charged to change those things we can to become more and more like Christ, living holy lives.

In Acts 11 Peter gets flack for going to the Gentiles. Peter explains about his visions from God and how the people he met received the Holy Spirit. He tells them that if God gave the Gentiles the same gift He has given them he couldn’t hinder God. That shut them up and they praised God for opening the way to Gentiles also.

God is moving throughout the Gentile world. Even when the apostles speak to the Jewish communities Gentiles hear and believe. One such place is Antioch. Barnabas goes to Antioch to see what God has done. He rejoices and encourages them to be faithful to the Lord. Barnabas goes to Tarsus to find Saul. He brings Saul to Antioch and spends a year teaching about Jesus. This is the first place where followers are called Christians. When the church at Antioch finds out about a famine in Jerusalem, they send aid to believers there, the first mission giving.

We try to limit God by deciding what He will and will not do. But God cannot be limited. God will go where God wants to go, and will do what God wants to do, even if we don’t think it is right. God is the one who decides. Perhaps we should keep an open mind about what God’s will is, accept that God does new things and rejoice.

In Leviticus 19 and 20 God addresses the people of Israel through Moses. He sets out his law before the people. Included in the law are the original Ten Commandments, instructions about the proper way to sacrifice, and warnings not to behave and worship as the people of Egypt and Canaan do. These are similar to the laws that He gave to Aaron, but they also include not dealing with those who practice sorcery.

God also gives instructions regarding planting orchards. They are not allowed to eat the fruit of the trees until the trees are five years old. The fourth year the fruit is to be dedicated to the Lord. This practice is to allow for the best harvest of fruit.

God spells out other laws regarding the treatment of others that are not found in the Ten Commandments. There are laws encouraging charitable generosity such as leaving some food in your fields for the poor and caring about the deaf and blind. There are laws about being just in judicial cases and business dealings, and being careful to call others to account if they are sinning. There are laws about personal conduct. There are also laws regarding not harboring hate against any other people, whether they are Israelites or aliens in their land. God tells them to love their neighbor/the alien as themselves.

All of these statutes come under the first statement God makes: You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy. God calls the people to holy living and spells out what that holy living entails because they are His people. They will be known as the people of the Holy One of Israel and their lives reflect what that means. We too, are called by a holy name. Being a Christian tells others that we are Jesus’ people. The things we do reflect on what that relationship means.

Psalm 23 is probably the most frequently learned scripture in the whole Bible other than John 3:16. It brings comfort to those who are mourning the loss of a loved one. It provides courage to those who are dealing with difficulties in life and health. It reminds us that God is in charge and will be with us no matter what happens and gives us hope till the end.

Psalm 24 also speaks to us that God is in control. Those who seek God will be able to stand before him. They will receive blessings from him. The second half of the psalm is often used on Palm Sunday. It recognizes the Lord to be the King of glory. We use it as an acknowledgment that our Lord, Jesus Christ is that King of glory.

Do you recognize the words from the psalms you have read? Often we hear these words in worship, being used as part of a prayer or in other places during our times of worship. The psalms can be used in our personal worship as well. Knowing them and even memorizing them can assist us as we live our lives of faith and deal with the things in our lives that might cause us to stray away. Find those words that God is speaking to you, remember them, and they will return to you in times of need or worship.

In Leviticus 17 and 18, God is establishing again with the people of Israel that they should follow his statutes and ordinances not those of either Egypt, the country they have left, or Canaan, the country they will be entering. God has separated them out from the other nations and their practices should reflect this separation. The people of Israel have been influenced by 400 years of living in a pagan land. Many practices that are acceptable to that culture are unacceptable to God. The people apparently are continuing to live by the customs and religious practices of that land. God is making it clear that He is now their LORD. They must renounce the practices of the culture from which they came and embrace the practices He has prescribed. The time in the wilderness is meant to prepare them to enter another nation that worships other gods. God does not want His people to be influenced by this new culture either.

God has called us out as well. Our lives should reflect the relationship we have with our God. We should trust only in Him and be loyal to the kind of worship and life practices that are acceptable to Him alone.

Acts 10 speaks of a change in God’s attitude regarding these nations that have been considered sinful and unchosen. A Roman centurion named Cornelius believes in God. He prays to God and is generous in his giving. God hears Cornelius’ prayers and has him send for Peter.

Meanwhile Peter has a vision in which a variety of unclean animals is lowered from heaven on a sheet. God tells Peter to eat these animals. Peter refuses pointing out that they are unclean and he has been faithful to follow God’s statutes and ordinances regarding unclean food.

God says that what God has made clean, Peter must not profane. The Holy Spirit tells Peter to go to Cornelius; it is no longer unlawful for him to associate with Gentiles.  Peter meets with Cornelius and tells him and his household about Jesus. They are given the gift of the Holy Spirit. Those who came with Peter see that God is blessing the Gentiles. Peter baptizes them in the name of Jesus.

Peter recognizes that because of Jesus, God is now showing no partiality. Anyone who fears God and lives a righteous life is acceptable to him. This was a great breakthrough for the apostle. He recognizes that God can move in ways that are new and that if God blesses it, we too must believe. Cornelius’ life reflected the transformation that occurs when one follows Christ. He is not living the way he did before. Christ has changed him.

Leviticus 15 continues to deal with issues of uncleanness. You may have noticed that these laws generally deal with health practices. God prescribes ways to keep disease from spreading throughout the community. The priest functions much like a physician to provide for disease control and eradication. God also prescribes policies for food safety encouraging the people to stay away from those foods which might contain food-borne diseases. As we look at these practices we see that they are not that unlike our current health and sanitation practices. God takes good care of His people.

In Leviticus 16 God teaches Aaron how to prepare himself and the tent of meeting to be clean enough for atonement. Everything must be prepared in order to the worship to be acceptable.

We all should prepare ourselves for worship. Our time of worship is our opportunity to come into God’s presence as a community of faith. It is meant to be a special time, different from all other days. Perhaps we can establish our own rituals of preparation in order to meet the Lord: choosing the clothes we will wear, allowing for adequate rest so that we will be alert, and making plans for the day that will honor the Lord.

One interesting preparation deals with the goat for Azazel or scapegoat. Aaron is to put his hands on the head of the goat and confess over the goat all of the sins of the people. The goat bears all of the iniquities of the people and removes them from their midst by being set free in the wilderness. This is to be done on the Day of Atonement. Once the goat removes the sins away from the people, they are able to atone for those sins.

We still practice the rituals of confession to prepare ourselves to hear God’s word. The process of confession is meant to put sins far away from us. Christ became our scapegoat to remove our sins as far away from us as the East is from the West. Our sins have been atoned and we are now free to sin no more.

Acts 9 returns to Saul. He receives orders from the high priest to go to Damascus to find and arrest Christians (followers of the Way) and bring them to Jerusalem. As he nears Damascus he is blinded by a bright light. He hears a voice asking Saul why he is persecuting him. Saul asks who is speaking and the voice replies that it is Jesus. He was told to go into the city and wait to be told what to do. Jesus then speaks in a dream to a believer named Ananais. Jesus tells Ananias to go to Saul and restore his sight. Ananias protests, reminding Jesus who Saul is. Jesus replies that Saul is the one he has chosen to bring the good news to Gentiles, kings and the people of Israel.

Ananais goes to Saul, restores his sight and prays for his to be filled with the Holy Spirit. Immediately Saul is able to see. He is baptized. Saul begins to proclaim that Jesus is the Son of God. Those who hear him are confused since he has come to persecute the Christians and is now proclaiming Christ. The Jews plot to kill him but the disciples in Damascus help him escape.

Saul goes to Jerusalem to meet with the disciples. They are afraid of him and do not believe he has changed. Barnabas brings him to the apostles and tells them about his experience on the road to Damascus. Saul moves through Jerusalem proclaiming Christ. He angers yet more people who plot to kill him. The believers help him escape to Tarsus where he was born.

Meanwhile the church in Judea, Galilee and Samaria continues to grow. Peter travels around preaching and healing many in the name of Jesus. He is even able to raise someone who has died, a disciple named Tabitha or Dorcas. Through his works many believe in Jesus.

Leviticus 13 and 14 deal with the treatment of people with skin lesions known as leprosy. If the priest examines a person and determines that the person has a leprous disease the person is declared unclean and must live away from the camp, any unclean clothing must be burned.

The priest shall continue to examine the person and if it is determined that the leprous disease is healed the priest performs a cleansing ritual involving two clean birds. Then the person must shave off all of his/her hair and bathe in order to be clean. The person offers a guilt offering, a sin offering and a grain offering to make atonement for the one being cleansed.

God also gives instructions regarding dealing with the house in which the person lives in order to rid the house of illness. This may involve tearing down the house. These instructions are given for when the people finally live in Canaan.

In Acts 8, Saul works hard at persecuting the Christians, throwing them in prison.  The apostles are scattered and continue to proclaim the good news. Philip, for one, goes to Samaria and heals many. There is a man named Simon who practices magic. He is so effective that the people think he comes from God. But when they see Philip they believe him and are baptized. Even Simon believes.

The apostles in Jerusalem hear about what is happening in Samaria. Peter and John go to them and pray for them to receive the Holy Spirit. Simon wants to pay the apostles to receive the power to give the Holy Spirit. Peter chastises Simon saying that his heart is not right with God. He tells Simon to repent of his wickedness. Simon asks them to pray for him.

The Lord tells Philip to go on the road to Gaza. He comes upon an Ethiopian eunuch from the court of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians. The man is reading the prophet Isaiah, chapter 53. Philip asks the man if he understands what he is reading. The man does not and invites Philip to explain it to him. Philip shares that the prophecy concerns Jesus and tells him the good news. The eunuch is baptized. The church in Ethiopia claims to have been the first Gentile church formed because of Philip’s faithfulness.