Daily Bible Portion (Saturday)
Daily Bible Portion – 7 of 7
"TRIBES"
(Weekly Reading>>Numbers 30:1-32:42, Jeremiah 1:1-2:3, Matthew 5:33-37, James 4:1-5:20)
The House of Israel and the House of Judah together are Christ’s priesthood (Hebrews 8:8-10). The passages above are written to believers learning to walk in holiness. The applications of Christ’s commandments are essential for understanding and walking in His Kingdom. The Priesthood of Jesus Christ is to know the difference between clean and unclean, holy and unholy and about the Sabbaths, New Moons and Feast Days of the Lord and to serve the Lord as they teach this to others. Believers are coming to understand how to minister in a holy manner. They are learning to walk in holiness and righteousness as their hearts respond to the sanctification and circumcision imparted in Christ’s Word.
Christ’s Priesthood today will no longer walk in the sins (iniquities/lawlessness) of their ancestors but are learning how to shed their filthy garments (transgressions), to immerse/mikvah themselves in the water of cleansing and to clothe themselves in righteous holy ways as witnessed by the fruit of repentance called the fruit of the Spirit.
Dividing the Spoils – The Law of Reciprocation
(Numbers 31:25-54)
This section has to do with correctly dividing the increase in our camp. Only after everything was purified did the Israelites proceed to divide up the spoils. The spoils were divided between the men who went to war and the Israelite community. Before taking possession of the goods, the army paid a tribute to Yahweh through Eleazar the High Priest. The same was offered to Yahweh by the Israelite community and to the Levites.
The army of Yahweh was lead into battle by Eleazar’s son Phinehas, and by the Levites. They had no inheritance of land among the children of Israel. The Priests and Levites, caretakers of the tabernacle, were the moral teachers of the community. This tribute given to them was a thanksgiving offering that blessed the whole community. This is the same for us today. Our tribute called the Law of Reciprocation ought to be a priority in our lives.
Reciprocate
To give or to take mutually; interchange. To show, feel or give in response or return. To move back and forth alternately. To give and take something mutually. To be complementary or equivalent. To return in kind or degree.
What we receive from others needs to be returned in kind, to be acknowledged; otherwise the law is not fulfilled in them or ourselves. It will become stagnant and have no life if we do not reciprocate. Only one healed leper returned to give thanks to Jesus. There are many in ministries today who have served for years, without being given thanks or offerings. This is one of the many reasons why many are leaving leadership each year.
The Dead Sea in Israel is without life. It has no life form in it because there is no outflow of water, only inflow. This stands as a witness to us. We have become a high-speed culture that is very self-focused. We take for granted what others have freely extended to us through their hard work and efforts to help teach us the Gospel, the Word of Yawheh, which has been transforming our lives for the better. They need to be acknowledged and infused physically with our words and offerings under the Law of Reciprocation. And do not stop there; we ought to re-turn the blessing to our family members, our friends and to those who serve us in the community. This is a universal law and a holy tribute before Yahweh - to bless others.
The Transjordan Tribes
(Numbers 32)
The tribes of Reuben and Gad saw that the land east of the Jordan was suitable for livestock. They said to Moses and Eleazar and the community leaders, “If we have found favor in your sight, let this land be given to your servants as a possession. Do not take us over the Jordan” (Numbers 32:5).
The Reubenites and Gadites had not seen the Promised Land but they were certain this land east of the Jordan River was better than what Yahweh had prepared for them. The two tribes would have had deep conversations about this before approaching Moses. They made their own decisions and took into their own hands both their lives as well as the lives of their future generations. How many of us have made decisions that we are sure Yahweh would approve of?
Moses remembered when the first generation of Israelites spied out the land and the forty years it took for the consequences from that bad report to be fulfilled. He did not want any difficulty in this generation when they were so close to entering the land. We see Reuben and Gad were very accommodating to Moses and the rest of the tribes by offering to help settle their brothers before returning to the land they wanted. Moses agreed to this but we do not read of him inquiring of Yahweh first. Moses also allowed the Makir and Jair families of the tribe of Manasseh to settle east of the Jordan along with Reuben and Gad.
These two and a half tribes suffered the consequences of their decision later, as they were the first tribes to be deported in the exile eight years before the other tribes (1 Chronicles 5:25-26).
new study tomorrow...
"TRIBES"
(Weekly Reading>>Numbers 30:1-32:42, Jeremiah 1:1-2:3, Matthew 5:33-37, James 4:1-5:20)
The House of Israel and the House of Judah together are Christ’s priesthood (Hebrews 8:8-10). The passages above are written to believers learning to walk in holiness. The applications of Christ’s commandments are essential for understanding and walking in His Kingdom. The Priesthood of Jesus Christ is to know the difference between clean and unclean, holy and unholy and about the Sabbaths, New Moons and Feast Days of the Lord and to serve the Lord as they teach this to others. Believers are coming to understand how to minister in a holy manner. They are learning to walk in holiness and righteousness as their hearts respond to the sanctification and circumcision imparted in Christ’s Word.
Christ’s Priesthood today will no longer walk in the sins (iniquities/lawlessness) of their ancestors but are learning how to shed their filthy garments (transgressions), to immerse/mikvah themselves in the water of cleansing and to clothe themselves in righteous holy ways as witnessed by the fruit of repentance called the fruit of the Spirit.
Dividing the Spoils – The Law of Reciprocation
(Numbers 31:25-54)
This section has to do with correctly dividing the increase in our camp. Only after everything was purified did the Israelites proceed to divide up the spoils. The spoils were divided between the men who went to war and the Israelite community. Before taking possession of the goods, the army paid a tribute to Yahweh through Eleazar the High Priest. The same was offered to Yahweh by the Israelite community and to the Levites.
The army of Yahweh was lead into battle by Eleazar’s son Phinehas, and by the Levites. They had no inheritance of land among the children of Israel. The Priests and Levites, caretakers of the tabernacle, were the moral teachers of the community. This tribute given to them was a thanksgiving offering that blessed the whole community. This is the same for us today. Our tribute called the Law of Reciprocation ought to be a priority in our lives.
Reciprocate
To give or to take mutually; interchange. To show, feel or give in response or return. To move back and forth alternately. To give and take something mutually. To be complementary or equivalent. To return in kind or degree.
What we receive from others needs to be returned in kind, to be acknowledged; otherwise the law is not fulfilled in them or ourselves. It will become stagnant and have no life if we do not reciprocate. Only one healed leper returned to give thanks to Jesus. There are many in ministries today who have served for years, without being given thanks or offerings. This is one of the many reasons why many are leaving leadership each year.
The Dead Sea in Israel is without life. It has no life form in it because there is no outflow of water, only inflow. This stands as a witness to us. We have become a high-speed culture that is very self-focused. We take for granted what others have freely extended to us through their hard work and efforts to help teach us the Gospel, the Word of Yawheh, which has been transforming our lives for the better. They need to be acknowledged and infused physically with our words and offerings under the Law of Reciprocation. And do not stop there; we ought to re-turn the blessing to our family members, our friends and to those who serve us in the community. This is a universal law and a holy tribute before Yahweh - to bless others.
The Transjordan Tribes
(Numbers 32)
The tribes of Reuben and Gad saw that the land east of the Jordan was suitable for livestock. They said to Moses and Eleazar and the community leaders, “If we have found favor in your sight, let this land be given to your servants as a possession. Do not take us over the Jordan” (Numbers 32:5).
The Reubenites and Gadites had not seen the Promised Land but they were certain this land east of the Jordan River was better than what Yahweh had prepared for them. The two tribes would have had deep conversations about this before approaching Moses. They made their own decisions and took into their own hands both their lives as well as the lives of their future generations. How many of us have made decisions that we are sure Yahweh would approve of?
Moses remembered when the first generation of Israelites spied out the land and the forty years it took for the consequences from that bad report to be fulfilled. He did not want any difficulty in this generation when they were so close to entering the land. We see Reuben and Gad were very accommodating to Moses and the rest of the tribes by offering to help settle their brothers before returning to the land they wanted. Moses agreed to this but we do not read of him inquiring of Yahweh first. Moses also allowed the Makir and Jair families of the tribe of Manasseh to settle east of the Jordan along with Reuben and Gad.
These two and a half tribes suffered the consequences of their decision later, as they were the first tribes to be deported in the exile eight years before the other tribes (1 Chronicles 5:25-26).
new study tomorrow...
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