Numbers ends with inheritance law. That’s a pretty big theme throughout the entire Bible: inheritance. Lineage was important. Keeping the inheritance in the family was important. I can’t help but feel that this is connected to Paul’s statement that we are joint heirs with Christ. We are brought into the family of God and granted … Read more
“On their gods also the Lord executed judgment.” The Faithlife Study Bible points out that the ten plagues were considered God waging war on the gods of Egypt. This makes sense, especially since the magicians could reproduce the first plagues. Personally, though, I still wonder if this is literal or metaphorical. Did God pass judgment … Read more
Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving. This psalm discusses the sacrifices. This psalm reminds us what they’re all about. The bulls, goats, sheep – they aren’t valid sacrifices, because they belong to God already. You can’t sacrifice something that isn’t yours. You’re just returning it. The sacrifice is how you approach the altar. God … Read more
The section on the vows of women might upset some people. It could be easy to read this section and see it as a divine ordinance placing women under the authority of men. It. Is. Not. This is God protecting women in a culture that subjects them to the authority of men. God is preventing … Read more
Yet another story of Israel not listening to God and hanging out with the wrong people, going to their sacrifices with them, and allowing themselves to be pulled away. Except, this one goes a bit further. There was this one dude, right, who just wasn’t sorry, not even when God sent another plague to start … Read more
Oh, Balaam. He clearly knows the true God, and he starts out faithful enough, refusing to say anything God does not give him to say. And the second time the entourage comes to collect him to curse Israel, God tells him to go. So why does he then get in trouble on the way? Why … Read more
Moses and Aaron weren’t denied entrance to the Promised Land because they got angry. It wasn’t even for disobeying and hitting the rock instead of talking to it (as I was taught more than once growing up.) They were punished because they took credit for God’s provision. Moses stood up there, next to Aaron, and … Read more
You know what I don’t understand? They just watched the earth open up and swallow three households. They just watched fire from incense burners consume 250 people, a cloud with the glory of the Lord spread through the angry crowd and spreads a plague that kills people until Aaron out runs it with holy incense. … Read more
I don’t actually want to spend much time on the spies going into Canaan and their report. I will say: we named our son Caleb. And, guys, nephilim. Talk about fun mysteries of the Bible to contemplate. What I do want to talk about is what Moses gets in trouble for. He literally says he … Read more
The Naziritic vow fascinates me. My understanding of it is that it’s like a super intense, public fast. What I’ve read says it was undertaken by people suffering from prolonged illness, by those seeking a desired event or outcome, such as a baby, or as an act of gratitude in recognition for all that God … Read more