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March
25
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Reading
1 - Numbers 6
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here to Listen
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v.
7 - The ordinary priests were allowed to defile themselves for close
relatives [Lev.21:1,2]
but the high priests was not [Lev.21:10,11].
This puts the Nazarite in the same degree of sanctification and responsibility
as the high priest - holy unto the Lord. There are a lot of parallels between
the Nazarite and the priesthood, providing a pattern of life appropriate
to our lives as kings and priests before God. Matt.19:29.
Peter Cresswell |
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As Bro. Peter observes below, this vow can be takne by a woman as well as
a man, and even though the description throughout uses he, one assumes this
could also be she. If so, there would have been, I suspect, great consternation
(v.9)
at the consequence of happening to be inadvertently defiled by a dead body,
and so requiring that all of the hair be shaved. Hair is a very public thing
- pretty hard to hide - If you took this vow, whatever happened, you made
a piblic statement by the appearance of your hair alone. How inclined are
we to show our religious convictions in our public image? The suggestion
here is that we should consider that.
Peter Cresswell
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v.1
The law of The Nazarite is an occasion when either man or woman could dedicate
themselves to the Lord. This marks an almost unique feature of the Law of
Moses. Tabernacle service was a male preserve - at the ordinance of the
Lord. However the Nazarite vow provided women as well as men the opportunity
to lead a life of dedication.
Peter
Forbes |
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:8
In saying that all the days of the Nazarites separation are 'holy unto the
LORD' the separation of the Nazarite is being likened to the work of the
high priest who wore the mitre on which were the words 'Holiness to the
LORD' (Exodus
:28:36)
Peter
Forbes |
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:12
The law of the Nazarite is like life in Christ we can lose our reward (Matthew
10:42) as could the Nazarite. All our days are to be 'separated' to
God. We have to remember the high calling of being separate.
Peter
Forbes |
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Reading
2 - Proverbs 3
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here to Listen
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v.3-6
- Mercy and truth are mentioned together again like this twice in Proverbs
- 16:16,
20:28 - very
succinctly in ch.16 - the purging of iniquity - essential to our position
before God - takes place, we are told, by mercy and truth. Let us therefore
strive towards it. Ps.25:10,
Hos.4:1, Mic.7:18-20, Matt.23:23.
Peter Cresswell |
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In our previous comments, I notice that both Bro. Peter and myself made
reference to mercy and truth together in this chapter, and yet neither of
us in doing so referred to Pslam 85, where the concept of the bringing together
of man with the mercy of God, was brought about by the action of him who
was the truth which sprang from the earth. Here in Proverbs 3 we have supporting
evidence to enhance and expand the concept of salvation as it is presented
in Psa.85:8-13
Peter Cresswell
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v.
3
the binding of 'mercy and truth' about the neck and writing them on the
heart is echoed elsewhere in proverbs bind ... heart Proverbs
6:21 7:3 about thy neck Proverbs
1:9 6:21 These ideas draw on the command to Israel Deuteronomy
6:6-8 11:18-20
Peter
Forbes |
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:11-13
Chastening is presented as the way in which God cares for those children
He cares for. The man with 'wisdom' recognises this. Then chastening is
seen as a beneficial thing rather than a painful drudgery.
Peter
Forbes |
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:12
We understand that God chastens His children. The greatest example is seen
in Jesus who 'learnt obedience' from this chastening (Hebrews
5:8) - he is the son who was the one 'in whom he delighted' - see also
Isaiah
42:1
Peter
Forbes |
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Reading
3 - Luke 17
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here to Listen
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v.
4 - There is a picture here of the longsuffering of God, which we are
then expected to demonstrate in our own lives - showing ever-patient forgiveness.
In human terms the contents of this verse would be derided - who should
be expected to put up with that? we would ask. But here we have the command
of Christ, so let us take heed and try to be perfect. Matt.18:21,22,35,
1Cor.13:4-7, Eph.4:31,32, Col.3:12,13, Matt.5:44, 6:12-15.
Peter Cresswell
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v.
11
Luke presents Jesus as on a journey up to Jerusalem Luke
9:51,53 13:22,33 here 18:31 19:28 marking his determination to fulfil
his Father's will.
Peter Forbes
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17:12
The lepers who were 'afar off' were like the gentiles in the first century.
They were, however, brought into the fold of the gospel. Hence Paul (Ephesians
2:14) speaks to gentile brethren as those who had been afar off.
Peter Forbes |
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17:1,
22 Notice again that Jesus is still speaking to his disciples. So the
warning :32
'remember Lot's wife' is spoken to brethren and sisters. We can be like
Lot's wife. Jesus is not speaking of those who do not know him and who have
not been delivered from the judgement to come.
Peter Forbes |
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YOU
CAN'T MISS IT!
With all the hype about world events, many people are looking for the return
of Christ. It seems, in a way, that we all want to predict the future and
work out different scenarios that take us from now until the return of Christ.
With the help of the Word of God, some of these ideas may not be too far
out, but the thing we need to remember is that we, in the 70 or so years
we live, have a very limited view of God's big plan that has been running
for more than 6000 years. We only see a small part of it in our lives. We
can learn from the past but apart from the words in the Bible, we have no
idea what the future will bring. However, don't worry! God is in control
all the way and even if we do interpret the signs of the times wrongly,
there will be no mistaking the return of Christ. He said, "For the
Son of Man in his day will be like the lightening, which flashes and lights
up the sky from one end to the other." There will be no mistaking the
return of Christ. It will probably come as a surprise to most of us, but
it will not be ambiguous, you will not be able to miss it. If that is the
case, then let us be always prepared. He will come, and, ready or not, you
will not miss it.
Robert
Prins |
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