Nunbers 16:36 – 19:22
I realised I gave away the ending of yesterdays reading… sorry about that! I read too far ahead…
I admit I have been struggling with the readings, not necessarily with motivation but with sincere joy in reading. By the end of today’s reading, all I could think was that God had a thing for cleanliness. He wanted his people to be clean, particularly after touching dead people. I struggled to understand how the passages fit together – it moved from God’s judgment on the Israelites for their rebellion, to the budding of the staff to shown God’s sovereign choosing of His leader, to the instructions for the Levites and for their offerings, to how to purify ones self if they become unclean.
I guess the common theme is God’s holiness and desire for holiness. It was a struggle for the Israelites to be holy because it was their hearts that were corrupt and no sacrifices, no cleanliness rituals, would ever create in them a pure heart… until Jesus’ sacrifice. Reading a bit of Hebrews put it in perspective… Check out Hebrews 10:11 – 14
“Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God. Since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool, because by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.”
Signing off for now… If my ramblings don’t make sense, please ask any questions! I would love to hear any your thoughts, or challenges from Numbers.
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