OT
This week continues into the Book of Numbers (Chapter 2 – 8).
I am going to be honest, Numbers is a tough one to read. There are so many details listed, especially individual’s names, and it was difficult to truly understand what was going on in each chapter. For example, Numbers 2 was entirely detailing Moses and the Israelites setting up camp. So let’s start at the beginning…
The Book of Numbers documents the 38 years that the Israelites traveled in the wilderness, and it ends with them arriving at the promise land. It is packed with details because the book is known as a combination of law and history.
Numbers chapters 2-4 mainly focuses on the Lord telling Moses how to organize the group. As the Lord instructs, Moses tells the people how the camp will be structured and the duty assigned to each tribes. The theme in each assignment is that everything and everyone was positioned in relation to the presence of God, the tabernacle. The reference point was always God. Throughout all the details, it was clear that God wanted His people to remain focused on Him alone.
Numbers chapter 5-6 starts to get into what the Lord expects from his people: separation from sin (and the effects of sin) and a vow to draw closeness to the Lord alone. This “vow” is actually called the “Vow of a Nazirite” which essentially translates to vow to set apart God from all else.
Numbers chapters 7-8 begin to document the first events of the camp now that the tabernacle has been setup and camp is organized. Each tribe presented offerings and then the Lord instructed Moses to tell Aaron to light the lamps. The chapter ends with the purification of the Levites, one of the tribes in the camp. This made them clean and ready to serve the Lord with Aaron. This entire section of Numbers was truly focused on preparing His people for the journey ahead.
NT
In Mark 5, we hear the story of a woman being healed by touching Jesus’ clothes in the middle of a crowded street. Jesus then performs another miracle by raising a girl from the dead. However, Jesus asks this family to keep this miracle a secret. Despite keep His most prolific miracles a secret, large crowds still follow and flock towards Jesus with the hope of being able to touch his garments
In Mark 6, we hear the popular story of the five loaves and two fish multiplication story. After this miracle, the apostles were out at sea without Jesus and in heavy winds – Jesus walks on water to the boat and frightens’ the apostles at first and the wind ceased. “Take heart, it is I, have no fear.” – I think this story does a good job of reminding us that it can be frightening to welcome and let God lead your path or decision.
In James 1, we are taught that if we have faith in God, He will provide. It requires us to live with humility and within the light of Christ. This theme goes back to Mark 6 – Jesus is the bread of life everlastings. One line that stood out to me was: “Be careful not to be deceived.” When I was in discernment about whether or not God was calling me to be a priest, I was fearful that the deceiver would interfere. I kept coming back to focusing on being holy and trusting that God’s will would be easy to see.
Mark 7 1:23- Eat with unclean hands – live and worship Christ with your heart and unseen acts of charity. Do not live to be exalted by others. Honor your father and mother.
“There is nothing outside a man which by going into him can defile him; but the things which come out of a man are what defile him.” – We are responsible for our own sins and have been given the graces to overcome temptation and sin despite external influences, surroundings, and temptations.
Mark 7 24:37 – Here we see another miracle where Jesus cured a child from a demon, cured a deaf and mute man. “Be opened” is the words he uses to heal the impediment of speech in the deaf man. Those words are so simple. They stood out because Jesus could have chosen to use any phrase, statement, or long speech to heal this man, but He did not do that. Rather, He looked up to heaven and simply say “Be opened”.
Mark 8 – Jesus performs another loaves multiplying miracle – but follows with a lesson that He is the Bread of Life that will sustain us. They claim they have no bread in the boat but do not yet see that Jesus is all the bread they need.
Though Jesus’s miracles are always some of the most recognizable and wonderful parts of the Bible – I actually found myself finding personal connections to the Book of Numbers. The way that the Lord instructed Moses to prepare the people reminded me that the Lord is always preparing us. For those of you who do not know yet, I very recently started a new position at the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank. God has been preparing me for this new opportunity where I am able to make a real impact on His people in my community.
The Journey Begins 