Friday, February 11, 2011

numbers 20-22

having refused to obey God in taking the promised land, Israel turns its face back to the wilderness.  Interestingly, these 40 years in the wilderness do not take up a lot of room in the text we will be reading today and the next few days.  The people wonder aimlessly but do not move ahead much.  Is that a picture of our spiritual lives, wondering in the wilderness aimlessly because we fail to be obedient to God who calls us to cross over into the land of milk and honey, but we are afraid to to fully trust and thus we miss out on many of the blessings that God intends for us.

The death of Miriam illustrates the beginning of God's promise that all of this generation over the age of 20 except for Caleb and Joshua will die in the wilderness.  Not even Moses, Miriam and Aaron will be allowed to enter.  Moses disobedience at Meribah will keep him from entering.  Sometimes we read this passage and say "that's not fair", but we must remember that God is God and all of his acts are righteous and holy.  In the moment that we think God is not fair, we should ask God to forgive us of our insolence at questioning his holiness.  Moses sin was in his anger that led him to a prideful statement.  He said, "must we bring water from this rock?"  Of course it wasn't Moses bringing water from the rock, it was God!  And Moses struck the rock in anger.  These actions portrayed God angrily.  We must be careful in our service to God not to portray him in a manner that would keep others from his mercy and grace.  The image of an angry God, ready to strike down humanity has kept many from salvation.  God is love, righteousness and mercy......he is water for a dry land and bread for a hungry people.

Aaron dies and his role as chief priest is passed to his son.  A picture of the decay of earthly flesh but the continuation of God's plan for humanity.

Chapter 21 has this story of the poisonous snakes and Moses fashioning a bronze snake that will save the people if they will lift up their eyes to it.  Doesn't that sound a bit like an idol?  Here is the what I am thinking.  The snake is often a symbol of evil in the bible.  Bronze is a metal that is made by passing it's elements through the fire.  The fire of testing is often a symbol for purification.  This is my thought and that doesn't make it right, so you think about it as well.  The snake is passed through the fire of purification and raised up by God indicating that nothing is beyond God's ability to save.  The bronze snake coiled around the pole has become a symbol of modern medicene and and healing.

The song that Israel sang about the water reminds me of a praise song that we used to sing, the chorus went: Spring up o well withing my soul, Spring up o well and make me whole.  Spring up o well and give to me, that life abundantly.  It was a wonderful song about God's ability to satisfy our every need.

The story of Balaam is a wonderful story of how God can take the foolish things of this world and confound the wisdom that we think we are.  We don't know a lot about Balaam, but he obviously knows something about God and has the ability to divine the spirits (this is a practice that God forbids to his children).  Balak, the king of Moab is frightened by the military successes of Israel and asks Balaam to place a curse on Israel, but God tells Balaam that Israel is blessed.  The lure of Balak's offer of riches is too much and Balaam sets out on his donkey to speak to the king.  Three times the angel of the Lord prevents Balaam's donkey from continuing.  Balaam cannot see the angel, but the donkey can.  Balaam beats the donkey.  God gives voice to the donkey and in Balaam's conversation with the donkey he becomes aware that the donkey has saved his life, that the angel would have killed him if he continued.  Balaam is often thought of as someone who perverts God's wisdom and purposes by trying to gain monetary riches by using God.  Think of that when you are listening some TV preachers.  Is this person serving for personal gain or for the Glory of God.

Many of the place names like Kadesh will sound familiar to you as Israel wanders the wilderness, retracing many of their steps as they await their next opportunity to possess that which God had intended for them since the days of Abraham.

Hope you enjoy the warming weather and that you have a most blessed weekend.  See you on Sunday!

1 comment:

  1. My Bible notes on 20:12 caused me to stop & talk it over w/ the boys. "Forgiveness of sin does not always carry with it alleviation of the consequences of that sin." We talked about what it meant for Moses & Aaron, and what it means for us today. Powerful stuff!

    I was also singing, "Spring up o well within my soul…” when I read verse 17 of chp 21 :)

    ReplyDelete