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March
23
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Reading
1 - Numbers 4
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here to Listen
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v.
5 - The vail, representing the way that sin (man) must be kept separate
from perfection (God) and which was later destroyed by Jesus Mat.27:51,
Heb.10:20, came
between all men and God, not just between Israel and God - Isa.25:7.
It is one of the many things negotiated with Israel which also apply to
others, and the lesson widens as a result of this, realising God's care
for all.
Peter Cresswell |
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v.13
- Is this a picture of Jesus, our altar (Heb.13:10)
who was arrayed just before his death in a purple robe with his crown of
thorns (John
19:2,5)? All the other artefacts seem to be covered in blue or scarlet
or badgers' skins, but this one in purple.
Peter Cresswell
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v.15
The erection and dismantling of the tabernacle and the order of the departure
of the children of Israelis precise and ordered. Our walk in Christ is marked
out and hedged about with precise and clear instructions as to how we are
to walk. The principles of the gospel are such that they show how we should
order our lives. Like Israel, we are not our own. We are bought with a price,
as they were. However the price with which we are bought is more precious
- being the blood of Christ. 1
Peter 1:19.
Peter
Forbes |
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Having laid out the principle responsibility of the Levites as the servants
in the tabernacle the work is divided amongst the sons of Levi.
:4
Kohath
:24
Gershon
:29
Merari
So the
setting up, dismantling and the movement of the tabernacle had to be done
according to a prescribed pattern. God is not the author of confusion.
Any of us who have been camping will know that planning and organisation
is required if the work is to be done efficiently. However this is more
than a family camp. It is the work of the 'house of God' - this is the
ecclesia today. Do we think about the impact of our behaviour on the 'organisation'
and harmony of the whole ecclesia - both in our own locality and worldwide?
Peter
Forbes
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:23
'perform the service' is actually 'war the warfare' - see RV and AV margin.
This is the origin of 1
Timothy 1:18 - showing that life in Christ is a 'warfare' in the same
way as it was for the priest - that is a life of service to God.
Peter
Forbes |
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Reading
2 - Proverbs 1
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here to Listen
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v.
5 - This book is full of the words of the one to who wisdom was given
as a gift from God. His gift was ours. He has written down his experiences
- the results of his wisdom - for us to learn from. It is not a natural
thing to do, especially when we are young, to accept that others may have
trodden the path before us and can therefore advise us on the route to take,
and most of us, at any age, are still inclined to want to learn the lessons
the hard way, but for those who are prepared to listen, here is a book full
of wise advice, from the one who tried out many worldly things and found
them, in his wisdom, to be vanity and vexation of spirit. So as
we read this book, let us look open-mindedly for the wisdom that we might
assimilate it into our lives without having to go through the hardship of
the experience, and so be better citizens of Zion.
Peter Cresswell |
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v.33
- This is the first occurrence of the phrase 'dwell safely' in English in
the Bible, all Old Testament. There are 9 all together and their various
contexts are quite interesting. Here are the other 8 - Jer.23:6,
32:27, 33:16, Eze.28:26, 34:25,28, 38:8,11
Peter Cresswell
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v.6
The book of proverbs is designed to make one wise. 'parable' and 'dark saying'
are associated in the proverbs and also in the following places. Psalm
49:4 78:2 Psalm 78 associates the parable and dark saying with things
which have been told and known in the past.
v.8
associates wisdom with listening to parents. This is how Israel were to
learn Exodus
12:26-27. The
parable/proverb provides an environment in which the child can ask for an
explanation. Just like Jesus' parables.
Peter
Forbes |
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Peter
Forbes
:4
We find the 'young man' 05288 a number
of times in Proverbs
1:4
young man <05288>
7:7
man <05288>
20:11
child <05288>
22:6
child <05288>
22:15
child <05288>
23:13
child <05288>
29:15
child <05288>
Putting these passages together we find that Proverbs has much to say about
the way that young men should behave and on the importance of having good
foundations in Bible knowledge
Peter
Forbes |
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:20,
21 Wisdom is personified extensively in Proverbs as a woman. We will
see, as we continue that there is another woman - folly - who is vying for
the affections of the 'young man'.
Peter
Forbes |
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Reading
3 - Luke 15
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here to Listen
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v.11
- The parable of the prodigal son is told in the hearing of all the disciples.
A chronology of the gospels puts this section of Luke between John 11 and
John 12. Consider the effect of the parable on Judas, given that he was
probably Lazarus' brother. v
32 must have
made a particular impression on him. This could well be one of several occasions
when Jesus tried to persuade Judas not to betray him.
Peter Cresswell
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v.3-32
Jesus told three parables one after the other. The lost sheep. The lost
coin and the lost son. The thrust of these three parables which are unique
to Luke is that God is seeking for those who are lost. Indeed it was the
mission of Jesus [Matthew
15:24]
Peter Forbes
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:4
In speaking of 'sheep' Jesus is using a familiar Old Testament which is
used of God's people.
Psalm
74:1 79:13 95:7 100:3 119:176 Jeremiah 23:1 Ezekiel 34. etc:
Peter Forbes |
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:21
'I have sinned' quotes Psalm
51:4. Jesus shows the repentance of the son in the parable in the same
light as the repentance of David after he had committed adultery. But notice
in the parable the sons did not even have to say he had sinned - it was
in his heart and his father was willing to receive him. Such is the grace
of our heavenly Father.
Peter Forbes |
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