QT 28 Dec 11, The body of Christ is important, but does our involvement in the body indicate that we disagree

Num 9:4-11 (NIV) So Moses told the Israelites to celebrate the Passover, 5 and they did so in the Desert of Sinai at twilight on the fourteenth day of the first month. The Israelites did everything just as the Lord commanded Moses.

6 But some of them could not celebrate the Passover on that day because they were ceremonially unclean on account of a dead body. So they came to Moses and Aaron that same day 7 and said to Moses, "We have become unclean because of a dead body, but why should we be kept from presenting the Lord's offering with the other Israelites at the appointed time?"

8 Moses answered them, "Wait until I find out what the Lord commands concerning you."

9 Then the Lord said to Moses, 10 "Tell the Israelites: 'When any of you or your descendants are unclean because of a dead body or are away on a journey, they may still celebrate the Lord's Passover. 11 They are to celebrate it on the fourteenth day of the second month at twilight. They are to eat the lamb, together with unleavened bread and bitter herbs.

NOTE: While the passage refers to those under the law, some interesting principles can be derived. A literal reading of the law would exclude those who were ceremonially unclean, such as those who had a relative recently die and touched the body. The celebration of the Passover was an important enough event that God commands those who can't celebrate to then celebrate one month later. A critic might reply that God responds to a situation as opposed to stating this rule from the beginning. Additionally, there is a further admonition that if a person does not celebrate the Passover when they are able, that person is to be cutoff from the assembly (9:13). We know that God is not "caught off guard" by the situation. In fact, this is the first-ever Passover, and there has been a lot revealed to the people over the last year. It probably makes sense to reveal the caveats and addendum in real life situations as opposed to earlier for the good of the people. But going back to "principles," certain celebrations are so important that there is no excuse for a lack of involvement.  Of course, we are not under the law, but I wonder if we see celebrations, such as baptism, communion, even weekly worship, as important community events. Or are they good things to do if we have the time. The body of Christ is an important aspect of our lives, yet for many Christians, the fact that they are an important member of the body is not take very seriously. If one part is absent, the whole suffers. Yet that doesn't seem to affect many church believers. God, forgive us for how we treat the body of Christ, the church.

QT 26 Dec 11, Jesus is a sufficient sacrifice

Num 8:15-19 (NIV) "After you have purified the Levites and presented them as a wave offering, they are to come to do their work at the Tent of Meeting. 16 They are the Israelites who are to be given wholly to me. I have taken them as my own in place of the firstborn, the first male offspring from every Israelite woman. 17 Every firstborn male in Israel, whether man or animal, is mine. When I struck down all the firstborn in Egypt, I set them apart for myself. 18 And I have taken the Levites in place of all the firstborn sons in Israel. 19 Of all the Israelites, I have given the Levites as gifts to Aaron and his sons to do the work at the Tent of Meeting on behalf of the Israelites and to make atonement for them so that no plague will strike the Israelites when they go near the sanctuary."

NOTE: In the OT, many of the lessons show a price paid.  In fact, most of the law requires a price to be paid.  Very little is free, although at times, the price is changed according to the income of the worshipper (such as the two doves used in dedication).  At first the NT would seem to contrast itself from the OT in this regard, but in reality it does not.  The difference is that in the NT, a price was paid, but this time God himself paid the price, making the results free to the worshipper.  Jesus' death on the cross satisfied all the offering requirements and was a "once for all" action, because it was a sufficient action.  All the offerings of the NT were not sufficient.  Their effect was temporary and had to be repeated time and again.  Because Jesus is God, his sacrifice was eternal and will never be repeated.  This is another reason to rejoice on this the day that we celebrate his birth into our world of flesh and blood -- his sacrifice was sufficient to completely pay for my sins and for every offering or sacrifice required of God for service to him.  Jesus is all sufficient.

QT 22 Dec 11, God speaks to us as a friend

Num 7:89 (NIV) When Moses entered the Tent of Meeting to speak with the Lord, he heard the voice speaking to him from between the two cherubim above the atonement cover on the ark of the Testimony. And he spoke with him.

NOTE: There is some debate exactly what "tent of meeting" Moses used to speak with the Lord.  This clearly indicates that is what the tabernacle.  Also, it does not appear that Moses was in the Holy of Holies, but rather in the Most Holy Place.  It says he heard God speak from between the two cherubims as opposed to seeing God speak.  Also, when another passage says that "God spoke with Moses as a man speaks with another man, face to face" it would suggest that it was the manner they spoke, that is conversational, as opposed to literally face to face.  Really, this is the way God speaks to us today.  It is not one-directional, it is not subordinate, it is not literally "seeing," but it is as one friend speaks to another.  It is conversation and loving.  God desires our company.  That is the amazing truth of a relationship with God through Jesus Christ.  It is not about rules and religion, but it is about truly knowing God.

QT 3 Dec 2011, Ministry is not for our pleasure

Num 4:15 (NIV) "After Aaron and his sons have finished covering the holy furnishings and all the holy articles, and when the camp is ready to move, the Kohathites are to come to do the carrying. But they must not touch the holy things or they will die. The Kohathites are to carry those things that are in the Tent of Meeting.

NOTE: This is a very unique ministry, as are some of the other ones listed in Numbers 4.  The Gershonites and the Merarites also had carry duties which required them to be 30 years old.  What I find interesting about all these jobs, especially the choosing of the Levites for God's work and Aaron's sons as priests, is that nobody chose their occupation.  We make such a big deal about finding our gifts or our calling.  But these men were chosen by parentage.  This was their job (or at least ministry), whether or not they had an interest in it.  Many had other occupations as well outside of these tasks but at least from a ministry perspective, this is what they were told to do.  I wonder if we make too much of an issue of feeling fulfilled when involved in ministry.  Maybe we need to have more of the attitude of a servant.  It is not for my pleasure that I serve but it is for the pleasure of the one I serve.

QT 1 Dec 11, God will accomplish his purpose in history

Num 1:44-46 (NIV) These were the men counted by Moses and Aaron and the twelve leaders of Israel, each one representing his family. 45 All the Israelites twenty years old or more who were able to serve in Israel's army were counted according to their families. 46 The total number was 603,550.

NOTE: The 603K does not include the Levites which number 22K (Num 3).  That would place the number at about 625K.  Since this only includes men, the number would at least double to include women, or about 1.25M.  And finally, children are excluded which would at a minimum double the number to 2.5M, and probably closer to 3 million (since most nations have a greater than 2.0 ration of children to parents).  So, 3 million people wandered in a desert for 4o years.  God fed them with manna, and at times with quail.  God provided water, although sometimes with a wait.  This is an incredible miracle, which is why so many don't believe the story in the bible.  The writer relates the story in a passive tone.  There is no attempt to make the story any more than it was, which was a simple fact.  Only at the end of the story does Moses add some more details, such as the shoes and clothes not wearing out.  This story did happen, there is too much to it to deny as a myth.  It carries none of the characteristics of a myth.  It is a historical narrative that was carried on in the story of Judges and the other historical documents without any suggestion of its factual nature.  What does it say to us?  God is powerful enough to do whatever it takes to bring history to its ultimate conclusion.  A day of tribulation is coming, a day when God pours out his wrath on all the earth.  While God does not promise rescue from suffering or tribulation caused by the world toward the believer( but rather a promise of a better future), he does specifically promise rescue (rapture) from the tribulation which he brings upon the earth.  But he only promises that to the person who has been born again.  After the tribulation starts, it will be too late.  Not too late for salvation, but too late for rescue from that time of great sorrow.