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March
28
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Reading
1 - Numbers 10
Click
here to Listen
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v.
9 - The trumpet was not just a convenient way of making a loud noise
- it was approved by God and part of a command which caused them to remember
their Lord and be saved. The trumpet did not only mean 'get up and move
on' or 'go forth to war' it also quite clearly was associated with 'God
will be with us', and thereby provided certainty to help those of weaker
faith. It is a comfort to me that God is prepared to do this. Jos.6:5,
Jud.3:27, 7:16-21, Eze.7:14,
Peter Cresswell |
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v.35,36
- God recognises here man's need for ritual. It seems that as human beings
we have a great need to associate what we do with particular words or actions.
To us this seems to give it a deeper meaning - a greater reverence, etc.
God therefore sets up rituals like these to appeal to that desire in a good
way.
Peter Cresswell
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v.
11
So Israel moved on from Sinai just under three weeks after the tabernacle
was reared up. A lot had taken place in this time, including the death of
Nadab and Abihu though not much time had elapsed.
Peter
Forbes |
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10:12
Now the children of Israel move from Sinai So they would change from their
settled existence which they had enjoyed for the last 10 months so it would
be quite a change for them.
So a
procedure for an orderly move was established.
Peter
Forbes
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:35
The words to be used when the tabernacle moved 'rise up
before thee'
are found again (Psalm
7:6 Psalm 68:1) Psalm 7 speaks of Absalom's uprising (against the Lord's
anointed). Psalm 68 speaks of deliverance from His enemies on a number of
occasions. So we see that the language we are considering in Numbers 10
is not simply a little incantation to be said each time the tabernacle was
moved. It was a battle cry. The wilderness journey was a battle - against
sin. In making the cry the nation were showing that God was involved in
the battle, scattering the enemy. Do we believe that God is working in our
lives now or do we think that sort of thing stooped at the end of the writing
of the New Testament?
Peter
Forbes |
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Reading
2 - Proverbs 6
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here to Listen
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v.
4 - Picks up the words of David towards the end of his life, when he
was determined to make preparations for the building of a house to God Ps.132:4.
Ultimately the building that we do is that of the temple of which we are
- the temple of his body - Zion (mentioned later in Ps.132)
building up to that bride - the holy city - new Jerusalem Rev.21:1-3
which causes the tabernacle of God to be with men. So let us heed the words
and consider the ant and be wise, as advised today.
Peter Cresswell |
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v.6,7
- The point made here in verse seven is that the order of the anthill exists
regardless of overseer. Ideally, we are in a position of each being a servant.
We too should have no earthly overseer. From this passage we learn that
the only way to make this work is to learn from the ant and for each to
pull his/her weight at all times, leaving no room for idleness in God's
work.
Peter Cresswell
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v.19
Notice that the Lord hates one that sows discord amongst brethren. Whilst
we must maintain right doctrine and practice the unity of the body of Christ
is paramount. In our own actions we must ensure that our actions are consistent
with not sowing discord.
Peter
Forbes |
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:1-5
Solomon, in quoting Psalm
132:4 is encouraging the sons to put as much effort into avoiding getting
into compromising situations as his father did in his desire to bring the
ark to Zion. So Godlessness should be replaced with a vigorous application
of the principles of the truth.
Peter
Forbes |
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:21
In encouraging the son to 'bind' the commandments he is quoting Deuteronomy
6:8 and 11:18. Sadly the Jews missed the point of this and instead of
making the commandment something in their heart they made an open show of
it by wearing phylacteries. Is our religion just 'show'?
Peter
Forbes |
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Reading
3 - Luke 20
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here to Listen
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v.
1-8 - Here we have a prime example of the practical outworking of the
words of Prov.26:4,5.
There was another occasion in Luke
22:67,68.
Peter Cresswell
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v.
2
The question 'by what authority doest thou these things' relates to the
events of the previous day. Yesterday Jesus had cast the money changers
out of the temple [Luke
19:45] which
undermined the position of the leaders who made money from the merchandising
on the temple mount.
Peter Forbes
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20:1
Whereas Luke says 'one of those days' we know that these events took place
on the third day before the Passover - see Mark 11 which tabulates the days
(:1,
12, 20)
Peter Forbes |
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:9
Jesus is in Jerusalem, only a few days away from his death. Whilst he has
been speaking almost exclusively to his disciples - as we have noted in
the last few chapters - Jesus now turns to the people to preach to them.
Peter Forbes |
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WHOSE
IMAGE?
Jesus was asked, "Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not?"
Jesus answered the question but he gave them far more to think about than
what he was originally asked for. "Show me a denarius, " he
said, "Whose portrait and inscription are on it?" "Caesar's,
" they replied. He said to them, "Then give to Caesar what is
Caesar's and to God what is God's."
This puts a whole new perspective on possessions. All our possessions
can be converted into money, therefore we need to be sure we do not put
too much emphasis on what we own. When we get down to the nitty gritty,
nothing we own is really worth anything when it comes to serving God.
It is interesting to notice that Jesus already had his priorities set.
When he was asked the question, he had to ask to see some money as it
seems that he didn't have any on him - he had already given away what
was not his.
Now if we follow his thoughts through, we find that we were made in the
image of God. Therefore when we give Caesar the things with Caesar's image
and name on it, we must give God the things with his image and name on
them - us. He wants us to love him with all our heart, mind, soul and
strength. We were made in the image of God. Lets dedicate ourselves to
Him.
Robert
Prins
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