In Number chapter 12, Miriam and Aaron criticize Moses. They criticize him for his choice of spouse.
The Lord was furious.
How dare anyone criticize someone whom God speaks clearly to and not in riddles, whom God had shown his true form to?
Miriam was punished with a dreaded disease. Moses, on the other hand, was humble and asked the Lord for forgiveness and pleaded with Him to heal Miriam. God did, but only under the circumstance that Miriam be exiled for seven days.
Moses handled the criticism well and did not hold any grudges against Miriam and Aaron. He easily could have, and everyone would've understood. Instead, Moses brushes off the criticism and looks to the positive.
Sunday, November 18, 2012
Sunday, November 11, 2012
Duties And Rules and the Delegation of Moses's Leadership
Chapter 4 of Numbers deals with the three clans of Levites and what their assigned duties to the Lord entail. Through chapter 8 there are more Old Testament rules the Israelites are ordered to follow.
In chapter 9 there is a Second Passover.
Then, through chapter 10, they break camp and they move on towards the final destination. The Ark of the Covenent always went on ahead and the Lord placed a cloud over them to hide them from their enemies' presence.
Starting in chapter 11, the people is Israel complain that they don't have any meat to eat. Moses takes the complaints to the Lord and asks God why Moses has been given such a responsibility to all these people. God then ordered Moses to assemble 70 respected men to act as leaders--a true act of delegation.
In chapter 9 there is a Second Passover.
Then, through chapter 10, they break camp and they move on towards the final destination. The Ark of the Covenent always went on ahead and the Lord placed a cloud over them to hide them from their enemies' presence.
Starting in chapter 11, the people is Israel complain that they don't have any meat to eat. Moses takes the complaints to the Lord and asks God why Moses has been given such a responsibility to all these people. God then ordered Moses to assemble 70 respected men to act as leaders--a true act of delegation.
Sunday, November 4, 2012
People Are Flawed. God Is Not
I am in no way, shape, or form putting myself up on a pedestal, but I can honestly say that I don't remember a time in my life when I turned my back on God and denounced Him.
Oh, I'm sure there were low moments when I felt alone and had destructive thoughts, and if I told God I hated Him it never lasted very long.
I grew up going to a small-town Lutheran church. There's always something special I felt about Lutherans--how one man stood up to the Catholic Church and starteed a movement. Here's a trailer of the 2003 movie Luther.
This is in no way a sales pitch for Lutherans, however. The point I'm making is that there are many routes one can take to worship God, and not to let the workings of a specific church or pastor or religious organization cloud your vision of what God wants from you if that church or pastor or organizaiton isn't run in a way that matches with your values.
Back in college, at Bemidji State University, I came in contact with a non-denomonational religious group who held weekly song/worship nights--I will refrain from telling you the name of this group, and with good reason. I had a lot of fun the first year I went, and even have a few friends I met there up to this day. But something happened the second year. I was ignored. Completely. There were nights when not one single person said a word to me (of course, on those nights, my friends weren't in attendance). I almost felt like I was being shunned for something, but had no knowledge of what that was.
I wasn't the only one who felt this way. Remember those friends I mentioned? They felt the same way. It didn't take long before I quit attending.
I could've very easily turned my back on God because of what they did to me. I was hurt by them. But I didn't turned my back on God. I knew this organization was run by people, and people have flaws.
God does not.
What's funny about this whole thing is that a girl got me into this organization (okay, that sounds like a cult, but they're not okay?) by teaching me about the Bible (I knew about the Bible, so I was a little confused by it) and ended by my asking Jesus to be my Lord and Saviour. She called me a born again Christian.
I was confused . . . if I was born again, wouldn't that mean I was somehow lost in God's eyes? Or somehow walked away from God and then came back?
Like I said in the beginning of this blog post, I've never known a time in my life where I doubted God's existence--or even Jesus's, for that matter. I've always believed.
Or, as much as my sinning can do, always believed. I am nowhere near perfect. Not even close.
If you're uncomfortable in your current religious surroundings, then go look somewhere else. Find another church where you fit in. They're out there. Just remember: people are flawed; God is not.
Besides my 2-3 true friends I met in college, the music they sang was dynamic. Here are two of my favorites:
People are flawed.
God is not.
Go find where you fit in. God wants you to. I did. And the leaders involved back at Bemidji State? I forgive them. I forgive them their short-sightedness and ignorance. I'm not sure if they intended to treat me the way they did, but for whatever the reason, I forgive them.
Oh, I'm sure there were low moments when I felt alone and had destructive thoughts, and if I told God I hated Him it never lasted very long.
I grew up going to a small-town Lutheran church. There's always something special I felt about Lutherans--how one man stood up to the Catholic Church and starteed a movement. Here's a trailer of the 2003 movie Luther.
This is in no way a sales pitch for Lutherans, however. The point I'm making is that there are many routes one can take to worship God, and not to let the workings of a specific church or pastor or religious organization cloud your vision of what God wants from you if that church or pastor or organizaiton isn't run in a way that matches with your values.
Back in college, at Bemidji State University, I came in contact with a non-denomonational religious group who held weekly song/worship nights--I will refrain from telling you the name of this group, and with good reason. I had a lot of fun the first year I went, and even have a few friends I met there up to this day. But something happened the second year. I was ignored. Completely. There were nights when not one single person said a word to me (of course, on those nights, my friends weren't in attendance). I almost felt like I was being shunned for something, but had no knowledge of what that was.
I wasn't the only one who felt this way. Remember those friends I mentioned? They felt the same way. It didn't take long before I quit attending.
I could've very easily turned my back on God because of what they did to me. I was hurt by them. But I didn't turned my back on God. I knew this organization was run by people, and people have flaws.
God does not.
What's funny about this whole thing is that a girl got me into this organization (okay, that sounds like a cult, but they're not okay?) by teaching me about the Bible (I knew about the Bible, so I was a little confused by it) and ended by my asking Jesus to be my Lord and Saviour. She called me a born again Christian.
I was confused . . . if I was born again, wouldn't that mean I was somehow lost in God's eyes? Or somehow walked away from God and then came back?
Like I said in the beginning of this blog post, I've never known a time in my life where I doubted God's existence--or even Jesus's, for that matter. I've always believed.
Or, as much as my sinning can do, always believed. I am nowhere near perfect. Not even close.
If you're uncomfortable in your current religious surroundings, then go look somewhere else. Find another church where you fit in. They're out there. Just remember: people are flawed; God is not.
Besides my 2-3 true friends I met in college, the music they sang was dynamic. Here are two of my favorites:
People are flawed.
God is not.
Go find where you fit in. God wants you to. I did. And the leaders involved back at Bemidji State? I forgive them. I forgive them their short-sightedness and ignorance. I'm not sure if they intended to treat me the way they did, but for whatever the reason, I forgive them.
Sunday, October 28, 2012
The First Census
In the book of Numbers, chapter 1 deals with the first census. All tribes were divided by their clan name and then counted.
All men twenty years of age or older, who were fit for military service, were to be included.
All except those from the clan of Levi. They were put in charge of God's Tent--an early form of secret service or personal bodyguard, so to speak.
In chapter 2, the clans--or tribes--were partnered up in threes (there were twelve, not including the clan of Levi, so there were four groups altogether).
In chapter 3, Aaron's sons were annointed as priests and the Levites were appointed to serve the priests. This was their only duty. Then, God ordered the Levites to partake in their own census, enrolling every male one month old and older. The Levites were divided into three separate clans, and given their own duties--which I will share in the next blog post.
All men twenty years of age or older, who were fit for military service, were to be included.
All except those from the clan of Levi. They were put in charge of God's Tent--an early form of secret service or personal bodyguard, so to speak.
In chapter 2, the clans--or tribes--were partnered up in threes (there were twelve, not including the clan of Levi, so there were four groups altogether).
In chapter 3, Aaron's sons were annointed as priests and the Levites were appointed to serve the priests. This was their only duty. Then, God ordered the Levites to partake in their own census, enrolling every male one month old and older. The Levites were divided into three separate clans, and given their own duties--which I will share in the next blog post.
Sunday, October 21, 2012
Psalms 8 - The Greatness of God
Psalm 8 is a short psalm, only 9 verses, yet is not short on praises.
It praises God in all of His glory, all of His greatness. It praises all that He has made, and has set all of the stars and moon in their places.
Then it is asked, "what is man, that you think of him."
God created man only to be inferior to God Himself.
God created man to be superior over all of His creation, appointing him to be the ruler over all--except God.
It praises God in all of His glory, all of His greatness. It praises all that He has made, and has set all of the stars and moon in their places.
Then it is asked, "what is man, that you think of him."
God created man only to be inferior to God Himself.
God created man to be superior over all of His creation, appointing him to be the ruler over all--except God.
Sunday, October 14, 2012
More Laws Presented In Leviticus
Leviticus is almost entirely a set of statutes God set up for his people. I will not go into detail on any of this, as they are meticulous and specific, and much of which we do not do in today's world, thanks to the coming and sacrifices of Jesus.
Starting with chapter 1, verse 1, through the end of chapter 7 are full of specific laws concerning offerings and sacrifices.
Chapter 8 deals with the ordination of Aaron and his sons as priests, in strict detail on offerings and sacrifices. In chapter 9, Aaron offers sacrifices to the Lord, ending with the Lord's dazzling presence appearing before all of the people and those people bowing in deep reverence.
Chapter 10 begins with a brief account of two men who failed to heed some of these laws and were burned to death. The rest of chapter 10 deals with the rules priests must obey.
The rest of the chapters and verses are broken down into specific sets of laws, from forbidden sexual practices and the treatment of slaves to a list of all their holidays and laws concerning gifts to the Lord.
The most famous passage is chapter 19, verse 18, which states: "Love your neighbor as you love yourself."
One may wonder why God created so many laws for these people. The answer may be as simple as this: they were given a few simple commands before and what did they do? They messed up. Remember the golden calf they made while Moses was recieving the Ten Commandments? They obviously needed more laws to live by.
And they got it.
Starting with chapter 1, verse 1, through the end of chapter 7 are full of specific laws concerning offerings and sacrifices.
Chapter 8 deals with the ordination of Aaron and his sons as priests, in strict detail on offerings and sacrifices. In chapter 9, Aaron offers sacrifices to the Lord, ending with the Lord's dazzling presence appearing before all of the people and those people bowing in deep reverence.
Chapter 10 begins with a brief account of two men who failed to heed some of these laws and were burned to death. The rest of chapter 10 deals with the rules priests must obey.
The rest of the chapters and verses are broken down into specific sets of laws, from forbidden sexual practices and the treatment of slaves to a list of all their holidays and laws concerning gifts to the Lord.
The most famous passage is chapter 19, verse 18, which states: "Love your neighbor as you love yourself."
One may wonder why God created so many laws for these people. The answer may be as simple as this: they were given a few simple commands before and what did they do? They messed up. Remember the golden calf they made while Moses was recieving the Ten Commandments? They obviously needed more laws to live by.
And they got it.
Sunday, October 7, 2012
The Finale of Exodus
From Exodus, chapter 33 deals with God ordering Moses and the Israelites to leave Mount Sinai and go to the land He had promised Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
At first, the Lord told Moses that He would send an angel to accompany the people and that He would not go with them. But Moses convinces God that He must go with them, for that is the only to distinguish God's people from everyone else they'll encounter.
God agreed.
In chapter 34, Moses cuts a second set of stone tablets on which the Ten Commandments will be written. Moses then went up to the top of Mount Sinai, where he stayed for forty days and nights, eating and drinking nothing. When he came down, his face "shone" and had to wear a veil.
Starting with chapter 35 and going through the end of the book in chapter 40, much of the same laws spelled out before were repeated, with the most skilled laborers assigned to construct the Tent for the Lord. Inside the Tent was the Ark of the Covenent, in which lied the stone tablets Moses had cut earlier with the Ten Commandments.
At first, the Lord told Moses that He would send an angel to accompany the people and that He would not go with them. But Moses convinces God that He must go with them, for that is the only to distinguish God's people from everyone else they'll encounter.
God agreed.
In chapter 34, Moses cuts a second set of stone tablets on which the Ten Commandments will be written. Moses then went up to the top of Mount Sinai, where he stayed for forty days and nights, eating and drinking nothing. When he came down, his face "shone" and had to wear a veil.
Starting with chapter 35 and going through the end of the book in chapter 40, much of the same laws spelled out before were repeated, with the most skilled laborers assigned to construct the Tent for the Lord. Inside the Tent was the Ark of the Covenent, in which lied the stone tablets Moses had cut earlier with the Ten Commandments.
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