Numbers 31 – Genocide, xenophobia, and the Bible

Numbers 31:9-20 The sons of Israel captured the women of Midian and their little ones; and all their cattle and all their flocks and all their goods they plundered. 10 Then they burned all their cities where they lived and all their camps with fire. 11 They took all the spoil and all the prey, both of man and of beast. 12 They brought the captives and the prey and the spoil to Moses, and to Eleazar the priest and to the congregation of the sons of Israel, to the camp at the plains of Moab, which are by the Jordan opposite Jericho. 13 Moses and Eleazar the priest and all the leaders of the congregation went out to meet them outside the camp. 14 Moses was angry with the officers of the army, the captains of thousands and the captains of hundreds, who had come from service in the war. 15 And Moses said to them, “Have you spared all the women? 16 “Behold, these caused the sons of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to trespass against the LORD in the matter of Peor, so the plague was among the congregation of the LORD. 17 “Now therefore, kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman who has known man intimately. 18 “But all the girls who have not known man intimately, spare for yourselves. 19 “And you, camp outside the camp seven days; whoever has killed any person and whoever has touched any slain, purify yourselves, you and your captives, on the third day and on the seventh day. 20 “You shall purify for yourselves every garment and every article of leather and all the work of goats’ hair, and all articles of wood.”

This is a really horrible story. Why is this in the Bible? What is God trying to say?

In the book of Leviticus God gave Moses the law of ritual purity by which the Israelites were to live. The idea of purity is paramount to God. The people are to be pure in their words, deeds, relationships, and genetics. Extreme measures were deemed necessary to keep the Israelites genetic purity intact. It sounds terrible and I will never be able to justify it, but it was a very different culture and none of us are fully able to put ourselves in that context. The book of Numbers is the case law of examples of how the purity code of Leviticus is to be kept. The philosophical law of Leviticus said that the people are not to inter-marry with outside nationalities. The case law of Numbers tells what is to happen when women are brought back as part of the spoils of war.

How does this apply to us today? We are to follow the instructions of God. God has given us a community to help us discern how we are to live out God’s instructions in day to day life. That’s the best I’ve got.

There are parts of the Bible that make me cringe. That’s okay. I do not have to like all of the Bible in order to believe that it was all inspired by God.

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Numbers 11 – Kindling God’s anger by complaining about adversity

Read all of chapter 11, there is some amazing stuff going on. First, God hears the people complaining about adversity, so he sends a fire that consumes the outskirts of the camp. Then the people complain about having no meat. So God has the elders of Israel prophesy and then…

Numbers 11:31-34 31 Now there went forth a wind from the LORD and it brought quail from the sea, and let them fall beside the camp, about a day’s journey on this side and a day’s journey on the other side, all around the camp and about two cubits deep on the surface of the ground. 32 The people spent all day and all night and all the next day, and gathered the quail (he who gathered least gathered ten homers) and they spread them out for themselves all around the camp. 33 While the meat was still between their teeth, before it was chewed, the anger of the LORD was kindled against the people, and the LORD struck the people with a very severe plague. 34 So the name of that place was called Kibroth-hattaavah, because there they buried the people who had been greedy.

Notice that it says, “While the meat was still between their teeth, before it was chewed, the anger of the Lord was kindled against the people”.

This is not God being capricious. There is an implication here that, even while God was providing an amazing feast for the people, they still found reasons to complain.

Don’t be the person who fails to see the amazing things God is doing in your church and in your community. Don’t be the complainer who kindles the anger of the Lord. Be a part of the miracle that God is doing around you every day. Love God, love your neighbors, tell people about Jesus, and care for the needs of others.

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Numbers 10 – I got nothing

Numbers 10:29-32 Then Moses said to Hobab the son of Reuel the Midianite, Moses’ father-in-law, “We are setting out to the place of which the LORD said, ‘I will give it to you’; come with us and we will do you good, for the LORD has promised good concerning Israel.” 30 But he said to him, “I will not come, but rather will go to my own land and relatives.” 31 Then he said, “Please do not leave us, inasmuch as you know where we should camp in the wilderness, and you will be as eyes for us. 32 “So it will be, if you go with us, that whatever good the LORD does for us, we will do for you.”

See, it’s okay to take advice from your in-laws.

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Numbers 9 – God’s leading is not a suggestion

Numbers 9:15-23 Now on the day that the tabernacle was erected the cloud covered the tabernacle, the tent of the testimony, and in the evening it was like the appearance of fire over the tabernacle, until morning. 16 So it was continuously; the cloud would cover it by day, and the appearance of fire by night. 17 Whenever the cloud was lifted from over the tent, afterward the sons of Israel would then set out; and in the place where the cloud settled down, there the sons of Israel would camp. 18 At the command of the LORD the sons of Israel would set out, and at the command of the LORD they would camp; as long as the cloud settled over the tabernacle, they remained camped. 19 Even when the cloud lingered over the tabernacle for many days, the sons of Israel would keep the LORD’S charge and not set out. 20 If sometimes the cloud remained a few days over the tabernacle, according to the command of the LORD they remained camped. Then according to the command of the LORD they set out. 21 If sometimes the cloud remained from evening until morning, when the cloud was lifted in the morning, they would move out; or if it remained in the daytime and at night, whenever the cloud was lifted, they would set out. 22 Whether it was two days or a month or a year that the cloud lingered over the tabernacle, staying above it, the sons of Israel remained camped and did not set out; but when it was lifted, they did set out. 23 At the command of the LORD they camped, and at the command of the LORD they set out; they kept the LORD’S charge, according to the command of the LORD through Moses.

The Israelites were to be ready to follow God’s will each and every day. When God said go, they went; when God said stay, they stayed.

It seems like it would be so much easier if I could visibly see an image of God directing me when to go and when to stay. However, we do not have a visible cloud to follow. We do have the Holy Spirit to guide and direct us if we listen. Is it so much harder to listen, than to see?

I imagine there were Israelites who said, “oh, we don’t have to go right now. We can catch up tomorrow.” But God’s leading is not a suggestion.

We need to be sure that we are listening to God and going where he calls us to go, and staying where he calls us to stay.

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Weekly Meanderings

Here’s some stuff I came across this week…

Have a great weekend!

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Numbers 6 – Nazarite vows

Numbers 6:1-8 Again the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them, ‘When a man or woman makes a special vow, the vow of a Nazirite, to dedicate himself to the LORD, 3 he shall abstain from wine and strong drink; he shall drink no vinegar, whether made from wine or strong drink, nor shall he drink any grape juice nor eat fresh or dried grapes. 4 ‘All the days of his separation he shall not eat anything that is produced by the grape vine, from the seeds even to the skin. 5 ‘All the days of his vow of separation no razor shall pass over his head. He shall be holy until the days are fulfilled for which he separated himself to the LORD; he shall let the locks of hair on his head grow long. 6 ‘All the days of his separation to the LORD he shall not go near to a dead person. 7 ‘He shall not make himself unclean for his father or for his mother, for his brother or for his sister, when they die, because his separation to God is on his head. 8 ‘All the days of his separation he is holy to the LORD.

This chapter continues the code begun in chapter 5. In the passage quoted above are the specific instructions given to make a Nazarite vow (important background information for several passages, including the Samson section of Judges).

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Numbers 5 – Compensatory Atonement

Numbers 5:5-10 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 6 “Speak to the sons of Israel, ‘When a man or woman commits any of the sins of mankind, acting unfaithfully against the LORD, and that person is guilty, 7 then he shall confess his sins which he has committed, and he shall make restitution in full for his wrong and add to it one-fifth of it, and give it to him whom he has wronged. 8 ‘But if the man has no relative to whom restitution may be made for the wrong, the restitution which is made for the wrong must go to the LORD for the priest, besides the ram of atonement, by which atonement is made for him. 9 ‘Also every contribution pertaining to all the holy gifts of the sons of Israel, which they offer to the priest, shall be his. 10 ‘So every man’s holy gifts shall be his; whatever any man gives to the priest, it becomes his.’”

In a series of statements beginning with the phrase “Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying”, the Lord gives the people of Israel a code of conduct and atonement.

The Levitical code was much more a purity code focused on keeping the Israelites pure before God. This code seems to be more focused on settling disputes and atoning for wrong actions in the relationships between people. The code of Levitics seemed to be more holy, the code of Numbers seems to be more earthy.

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Numbers 4 – Caring for God’s earthly presence

Numbers 4:1-4 Then the LORD spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying, 2 “Take a census of the descendants of Kohath from among the sons of Levi, by their families, by their fathers’ households, 3 from thirty years and upward, even to fifty years old, all who enter the service to do the work in the tent of meeting. 4 “This is the work of the descendants of Kohath in the tent of meeting, concerning the most holy things…”

Anyone ever notice that God really likes censuses (censi?); there are sure a lot of them in the Bible.

I think the important take away from this chapter is that God calls certain people to care for his presence on earth. In this past age, God called certain people to care for his resting place on earth, the Ark of the Covenant. In our current age, I think God calls certain people to take care of his Church (the entity, not the buildings).

It’s important to recognize if this is our calling; it’s important to recognize if this is not our calling. If God does not call you to care for his church, don’t take on that responsibility.

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Numbers 3 – A case of substitutionary atonement?

Numbers 3:11-13 Again the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 12 “Now, behold, I have taken the Levites from among the sons of Israel instead of every firstborn, the first issue of the womb among the sons of Israel. So the Levites shall be Mine. 13 “For all the firstborn are Mine; on the day that I struck down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, I sanctified to Myself all the firstborn in Israel, from man to beast. They shall be Mine; I am the LORD.”

Back in Egypt, God had instructed the Israelites to put the blood of the Passover lamb on the door posts so the Angel of Death would pass over their houses. Here in Numbers it appears that God still considers there to be a debt owed for saving the first born of Israel. As payment for this debt, God accepts the service of the Levites as his priests.

For some reason this rubs me the wrong way. I don’t know if it’s important, but it bothers me.

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Numbers 2 – Honoring our forefathers

Numbers 2:1-2 Now the LORD spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying, 2 “The sons of Israel shall camp, each by his own standard, with the banners of their fathers’ households; they shall camp around the tent of meeting at a distance.

It’s these first few chapters that give Numbers it’s name. Once you get past this bit, the book is quite interesting.

I will say that we would do well to embrace our forefathers and reflect on their faith (regardless of the faith tradition they came from). Knowledge of those how came before us is a valuable thing. Planting their banner and honoring their standard can be good.

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John 16 – Bibliolatry and the Holy Spirit

“But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come.”

I fear that many contemporary Christians underestimate the importance of the leading of the Holy Spirit in living out our Christian faith. The Holy Spirit was sent to be our guide, to lead us in the ways of God.  But I know too many Christians who reject the role of the Holy Spirit because they claim it is too subjective and experiential. These Christians want an objective concrete truth; so often the elevate the Bible above God (Bibliolatry).

I believe the Bible was given by God to reveal Himself to humanity. I believe the Bible is true. I believe that the leading of the Holy Spirit will not be in conflict with the truths presented in the Bible. But, I believe the Holy Spirit is living and active presence of God who “will guide [us] int all truth”, who will speak God’s words to our hearts and disclose God’s will.

Christians can not live out their faith if they are afraid of experiencing God. We must simultaneously hold onto the objective and the subjective and be willing to accept the ambiguity that will always exist in the presence of God.

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John 5 – What is the Bible?

The following words may show up in your Bible, but they were almost certainly not a part of the original text:

John 5:3b-4 waiting for the moving of the waters; for an angel of the Lord went down at certain seasons into the pool and stirred up the water; whoever then first, after the stirring up of the water, stepped in was made well from whatever disease with which he was afflicted.

This phrase appears to have been added by a later scribe in an attempt to explain verse 7:

John 5:7 The sick man answered Him, “Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, but while I am coming, another steps down before me.”

In all likelihood the scribe was trying to explain why it was that the man wanted down into the water. This scribe was probably working with good motives; trying to make it easier for those who would come after to understand what is going on.

Does it change the meaning of the text? Possibly. At the least it gives an event that may be mere legend, more validity.

How does it make you feel to know that someone may have added to this book which became part of our Bible? Does it affect what you understand the Bible to be? Does it trouble your faith? If so, your faith may be in the wrong thing.

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Leviticus 2 – A life seasoned with faithfulness and devoid of sin

The Lord then instructs Moses on how a grain offering is to be presented to the Lord. It is to be “an offering by fire of a soothing aroma too the Lord.” The remainder of the grain offering not burned up is a given to the priests. No leaven or honey may be a part of the grain offering; however, each grain offering needs to be seasoned with salt

Looking forward to the New Testament leaven is most often used to symbolize sin and salt is most often used to represent faithfulness to God. I would guess (without having done any research) that these New Testament understandings of leaven and salt come from these Levitical instructions on presenting a grain offering to God.

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Leviticus 1 – Recovering Ancient Worship Practices: washing the entrails of your goat

Leviticus begins with the Lord speaking to Moses at the tent of meeting. The Lord then gives Moses the instructions Moses is to give to the people on how to present offerings to God.

Those giving the offering and the priests combine their efforts to slay, butcher, and cook the burnt offering. Different methods of offering are given depending on if the offering is a bull, sheep or bird.

Overall, the process of giving an offering is a messy dirty process. It is a messy dirty process to forgive sin and right the offenses committed against God. There is something to be said for the dirty, smelly process of animal sacrifice. I imagine washing the entrails of your sacrifice reminded you how offensive your sins against God were.

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Psalm 41 –We are called to defend the helpless

How blessed is he who considers the helpless; The LORD will deliver him in a day of trouble. The LORD will protect him and keep him alive, And he shall be called blessed upon the earth; And do not give him over to the desire of his enemies. The LORD will sustain him upon his sickbed; In his illness, You restore him to health.

We are called to love and reach out to the helpless amongst us. We need to open our eyes and recognize that we pass suffering people everyday. We have two duties to the world around us; to reveal Jesus Christ, and to meet the needs of others.

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Psalm 40 – I waited patiently for the Lord

I waited patiently for the LORD; And He inclined to me and heard my cry. He brought me up out of the pit of destruction, out of the miry clay, And He set my feet upon a rock making my footsteps firm. He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God; Many will see and fear And will trust in the LORD. How blessed is the man who has made the LORD his trust, And has not turned to the proud, nor to those who lapse into falsehood. Many, O LORD my God, are the wonders which You have done, And Your thoughts toward us; There is none to compare with You. If I would declare and speak of them, They would be too numerous to count.

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Psalm 39 – We are not owed anything

I said, “I will guard my ways That I may not sin with my tongue; I will guard my mouth as with a muzzle While the wicked are in my presence.” I was mute and silent, I refrained even from good, And my sorrow grew worse. My heart was hot within me, While I was musing the fire burned; Then I spoke with my tongue: “LORD, make me to know my end And what is the extent of my days; Let me know how transient I am.

Doing the right thing does not always make us feel better. There are times when we need to remain silent and suffer through our silence even though there may be no reward for our faithfulness. There are times when we are to speak and suffer through the consequences even though there may be no reward.

Whatever we do or do not do is done for the glory of God and not our own glory. We often think our suffering should earn us a reward, but really faithful suffering is often a part of being a disciple of Christ. The expectation of a reward is a rejection of the grace Christ has already granted his friends.

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Psalm 38 – Sin causes pain

O LORD, rebuke me not in Your wrath, And chasten me not in Your burning anger. For Your arrows have sunk deep into me, And Your hand has pressed down on me. There is no soundness in my flesh because of Your indignation; There is no health in my bones because of my sin.

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Psalm 37 – To be righteous or wicked?

The wicked plots against the righteous And gnashes at him with his teeth. The Lord laughs at him, For He sees his day is coming. The wicked have drawn the sword and bent their bow To cast down the afflicted and the needy, To slay those who are upright in conduct. Their sword will enter their own heart, And their bows will be broken. Better is the little of the righteous Than the abundance of many wicked. For the arms of the wicked will be broken, But the LORD sustains the righteous. The LORD knows the days of the blameless, And their inheritance will be forever. They will not be ashamed in the time of evil, And in the days of famine they will have abundance. But the wicked will perish; And the enemies of the LORD will be like the glory of the pastures, They vanish– like smoke they vanish away. The wicked borrows and does not pay back, But the righteous is gracious and gives. For those blessed by Him will inherit the land, But those cursed by Him will be cut off.

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Psalm 36 – The ungodly

Transgression speaks to the ungodly within his heart; There is no fear of God before his eyes. For it flatters him in his own eyes Concerning the discovery of his iniquity and the hatred of it. The words of his mouth are wickedness and deceit; He has ceased to be wise and to do good. He plans wickedness upon his bed; He sets himself on a path that is not good; He does not despise evil.

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