Leviticus and Numbers
In my reading today, as I stayed at home nursing this crazy infection, I read the book of Leviticus and half of Numbers. These are normally difficult books to read through, especially when you start out with a head ache! The amazing thing though, was that I found myself engaged in the dialogue between God and his chosen people. Over and over again it says "And God spoke to Moses..." or "and they did all that God had commanded them through Moses". Then there is that cool story where Moses basically goes to God and says (paraphrasing of course) Give me a break! You have given me ALL these people to care for, all they do is complain, and you want me to give them meat? And how is that supposed to work?!?!
God in his kindness and wisdom, gives him 70 men who are given the same priviledge of God's glory on them. That is how Moses was distinguished... he carried God's glory, and the Lord gave that same honour (to a different degree of course) to the leadership that he placed around Moses and Aaron. God's glory came with the job!
And then the story of the Levites rising up against Moses and Aaron, basically saying (again paraphrasing) who made you so special? To which of course, God resoundly makes clear that it is GOD who made them special! And the earth opens up and swallowed those who disagreed. There was no guessing or messing with God back then. He interacted so closely with the Israelites SO THAT THEY WOULD KNOW that He was their God. It fascinates me that God still desires for us to know that He is our God.
The law he lays out in Leviticus, the order he sets up in Numbers, all speak of a God whose heart was to lead a people that were holy as he is holy. The laws where never expected to be met perfectly, but there was sacrifices and atonements that could be made, because God desired and STILL desires a perfect people.
I'm not sure where this is all going in my head, but I know that God is again showing me that being in relationship with him is more than believing he is real and that he died for my sin. That is the starting place, not the end, and he longs for me to be like him. Holy.
God in his kindness and wisdom, gives him 70 men who are given the same priviledge of God's glory on them. That is how Moses was distinguished... he carried God's glory, and the Lord gave that same honour (to a different degree of course) to the leadership that he placed around Moses and Aaron. God's glory came with the job!
And then the story of the Levites rising up against Moses and Aaron, basically saying (again paraphrasing) who made you so special? To which of course, God resoundly makes clear that it is GOD who made them special! And the earth opens up and swallowed those who disagreed. There was no guessing or messing with God back then. He interacted so closely with the Israelites SO THAT THEY WOULD KNOW that He was their God. It fascinates me that God still desires for us to know that He is our God.
The law he lays out in Leviticus, the order he sets up in Numbers, all speak of a God whose heart was to lead a people that were holy as he is holy. The laws where never expected to be met perfectly, but there was sacrifices and atonements that could be made, because God desired and STILL desires a perfect people.
I'm not sure where this is all going in my head, but I know that God is again showing me that being in relationship with him is more than believing he is real and that he died for my sin. That is the starting place, not the end, and he longs for me to be like him. Holy.
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