Take it to the Lord - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Numbers 27:5-7,

"So Moses brought their case before the Lord, and the Lord said to him, 'What Zelophehad's daughters are saying is right. You must certainly give them property as an inheritance among their father's relatives and give their father's inheritance to them.'"

In the previous chapter a census was taken as a precursor to distributing the land promised to Israel once they took it from the then current inhabitants. In verse 53 of that chapter we read, "The land is to be allotted to them as an inheritance based on the number of names." Those names were the names of the men in the various clans.

A case came before Moses that involved the five daughters of a man named Zelophehad who had passed away while having no sons. Since there were no sons, the sisters made their plea that since their deceased father had not participated in rebellious activity, his family should not be excluded from a rightful share of the land to be distributed.

Not having that specific circumstance covered in the law, Moses took their case to the Lord. 

Not every conceivable situation in life was accounted for in the law as given by the Lord to Moses. Obviously, had the Lord done so, the books of the law would certainly pile up bigger than Mt. Sinai itself! It would have made the law a useless stack of minutiae. A vast sea of detail that would have made itself unnavigable and useless for the purpose the Lord had given it to Moses for in the first place.

Things we may encounter today might present a similar circumstance. Not every conceivable situation in life is covered specifically in the Scriptures. There may be some principles that can be gleaned in a general sense for a given situation, but sometimes we need to follow Moses' example and take those things before the Lord.

Many things in life present themselves as best being brought to the Lord in prayer. They force us to stop in our tracks and rely on his immediate presence as we look for direction from him. I suspect that is at least one reason why the Lord has not provided all the answers to everything we may encounter in the Scriptures. 

In addition to the Scriptures, we need to rely on the Lord in prayer. 

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

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Our Eternal Inheritance - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Numbers 26:52-56,

"The Lord said to Moses, 'The land is to be allotted to them as an inheritance based on the number of names. To a larger group give a larger inheritance, and to a smaller group a smaller one; each is to receive its inheritance according to the number of those listed. Be sure that the land is distributed by lot. What each group inherits will be according to the names for its ancestral tribe. Each inheritance is to be distributed by lot among the larger and smaller groups.'"

Numbers 26 provides census numbers by the tribes of Israel as well as a breakdown of the various clans of each tribe. In the above few verses, the Lord tells Moses that the land promised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob is to be distributed by tribe and according to the relative size of each tribe as their inheritance of what was promised.
 
After their 40 year sojourn in the wilderness, the Israelites now look forward to their share in the inheritance of what was promised to their patriarchs.

As it does to many, this causes me to think of our inheritance in the next life following our sojourn in this one. This life can be likened to a wilderness sojourn in that it is occupied by us living in a cursed world (following mankind's fall in the garden of Eden), suffering the consequences of a collective sinful nature.

For those of us who have embraced Jesus Christ in faith, we look forward to an inheritance that awaits us. Eternal life! We can sing along with David,
"Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices;
    my body also will rest secure,
because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead,
    nor will you let your faithful one see decay.
You make known to me the path of life;
    you will fill me with joy in your presence,
    with eternal pleasures at your right hand." Psalm 16:9-11.

This is our inheritance! Paul tells us, "In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession—to the praise of his glory." Ephesians 1:11-14.

Paul counsels those who serve others to be productive in this life as we look forward to our eternal inheritance, "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving." Colossians 3:23-24.

Peter encourages believers in light of the inheritance that is headed our way, "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials." 1 Peter 1:3-6.

Paul tells us something amazing about our inheritance in Romans 8:16-17, "The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory." We will share together in the inheritance of the Son of God as his co-heirs! 

Just as the Israelites could begin to look forward to their inheritance in the promised land, so we too look forward to our own eternal inheritance that we will share together with Jesus Christ! 

How amazing is that?!

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

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What Excludes: Disobedience or Unbelief? - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Numbers 26:63-65,

"These are the ones counted by Moses and Eleazar the priest when they counted the Israelites on the plains of Moab by the Jordan across from Jericho. Not one of them was among those counted by Moses and Aaron the priest when they counted the Israelites in the Desert of Sinai. For the Lord had told those Israelites they would surely die in the wilderness, and not one of them was left except Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun."

This chapter provides a second census of the Israelites in the book of Numbers. The first census was taken at the beginning of their forty year sojourn in the wilderness and this one at the end. The observation made is that of all that was counted, only two people remained from the earlier census, Joshua and Caleb. (Of course Moses, who had the count made at the Lord's command, was still alive and leading Israel, but he would not be allowed into the promised land either because of his sin at the incident when he struck the rock with the staff to provide water).

That earlier generation of the first census that was freed and led out of Egypt rebelled against the Lord, which resulted in them not being allowed into the promised land. Joshua and Caleb were two spies of twelve that provided a report to the Israelites on the Canaanites and encouraged the people to take the land as the Lord wanted them to. Due to that encouragement to the nation to follow the Lord, they were the only two who would be allowed to enter into the land.

The writer of Hebrews makes an observation about this generation that perished during the wilderness sojourn. "Who were they who heard and rebelled? Were they not all those Moses led out of Egypt? And with whom was he angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies perished in the wilderness? And to whom did God swear that they would never enter his rest if not to those who disobeyed? So we see that they were not able to enter, because of their unbelief."

The writer of Hebrews makes the point that the rebellious Israelites that disobeyed were not allowed to enter into the promised land because their rebellion and disobedience demonstrated their "unbelief." Here is yet again another point that when it comes to our standing with God, it is all about faith!

Even if we have been disobedient to the Lord, even if we have been rebellious toward the Lord, if we place our faith and trust in him, we will be allowed to enter into his family, into eternal life. We won't be excluded like those who harbored unbelief in their hearts toward the Lord as expressed in their rebellion and disobedience.

We have all sinned, but Jesus Christ paid the penalty for all of our sins. All the Lord asks is that we believe in him and embrace him in faith. It is today, and always has been, all about our faith in God!

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

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Identifying an Enemy - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Numbers 25:16-18,

"The Lord said to Moses, 'Treat the Midianites as enemies and kill them. They treated you as enemies when they deceived you in the Peor incident involving their sister Kozbi, the daughter of a Midianite leader, the woman who was killed when the plague came as a result of that incident.'"

The Midianites and Moabites had formed an alliance against Israel when Israel drew near their borders. They felt threatened by Israel and due to what happened to the Egyptians forty years earlier during the plagues of Egypt (which, apparently everyone was aware of in that part of the world), they feared Israel's relationship with their God. These pagan nations all had their own gods and were considered strong if they could keep their gods happy. This chapter describes a plan of deceit they devised in an attempt to separate Israel from God. They enticed Israelite men by having Moabite women invite them to their fertility festival, which involved Baal worship and sex with the Moabite women.

As do many of the accounts of the history of Israel in the Scriptures, the Lord brings perspective here. When it comes to those who might entice us to sin, they become our enemies. Opportunities to engage in those things the Lord abhors become opportunities to do damage brought on by an appeal from the spiritually dark side of humanity and/or our own sinful nature.

I remain confident the Lord is able to keep believers safely within him throughout life, "He will also keep you firm to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord." 1 Corinthians 1:8-9. And, while this is true, there is nonetheless great damage that can be brought to the church, to the gospel enterprise, to our families and to ourselves when we might yield to such enticements.

Whenever one comes along to offer or entice you into something you have no business being involved in, that one becomes your enemy. Just ask the 24,000 people who died at God's hand due to the Israelite men like Zimri who took advantage of the Moabite women's offer.

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

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Becoming "Woke" - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Numbers 24:15-16,

"The prophecy of Balaam son of Beor, the prophecy of one whose eye sees clearly, the prophecy of one who hears the words of God, who has knowledge from the Most High, who sees a vision from the Almighty, who falls prostrate, and whose eyes are opened..."

This opening formula to Balaam's prophecy occurs twice in this chapter, here and also earlier in verses 3-4 to begin his previous prophecy. What catches my eye this morning is Balaam's claim that his "eyes are opened." Now that the Spirit of God had come on him he had a changed view of things. We might say in today's vernacular, he became "woke".

The race hustlers and social justice warriors use the term "woke" to refer to someone who has become aware of and actively attentive to "racial justice" and "social justice" and other issues the political left finds itself fascinated with.

My thought is that the "woke" condition of the political left is really not much of a new outlook, as it probably simply indicates a person is just more influenced by the collective sinful nature of mankind. An increase in interest or enthusiasm, but only in the same trajectory of rebellion they were already influenced with.

Not so for Balaam! Here is a pagan sorcerer who suddenly is confronted by God and has had the Spirit of God come upon him. Talk about a changed view of reality! Where Balaam existed in a spiritually deep darkness, he suddenly has a whole different viewpoint and outlook, which is what it appears to me he is expressing when he says "whose eyes are opened..."

I don't have any idea about Balaam becoming a regenerated man as all of us who have embraced Jesus Christ in faith become. However, Balaam's newly "woke" condition reminds me of the newly "woke" condition we experience. "So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!" 2 Corinthians 5: 16-17. This echoes Jesus' explanation to Nicodemus when he told him of a new birth. See John 3:1-21.

Talk about becoming "woke"!

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

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God Will Use Anyone He Wants! - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Numbers 24:1-4,

"Now when Balaam saw that it pleased the Lord to bless Israel, he did not resort to divination as at other times, but turned his face toward the wilderness. When Balaam looked out and saw Israel encamped tribe by tribe, the Spirit of God came on him and he spoke his message: 'The prophecy of Balaam son of Beor, the prophecy of one whose eye sees clearly, the prophecy of one who hears the words of God, who sees a vision from the Almighty, who falls prostrate, and whose eyes are opened...'"

Balaam was a pagan sorcerer. He was hired by the king of Moab to curse Israel but wound up blessing them instead. Israel was God's own covenanted people and if anything relative to them were to happen it would have to cross his desk first. Of course, that is only of interest if we buy off on the notion that pagan sorcerers really had any ability to make things happen through their sordid trade (why am I thinking of TV evangelists here?). I personally don't.

What we see happen is that when Balaam began his schtick, God presented himself to Balaam and made him bless Israel instead of cursing them. We are told, "the Spirit of God came on him". Not only did Balaam bless Israel, he also prophesied about future events to take place for the Israelites as well as their enemies and other nations.

What we learn here is that God can cause the Holy Spirit to come upon anyone, regenerated or not! He can and does use anyone he desires for his purposes- even to bless his own people! If he is willing to use a pagan sorcerer, then he just might use you or me! Even your mother-in-law or a TV evangelist!

Who knew?!

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

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A Most Unique People! - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Numbers 23:9b,

"I [Balaam] -  see a people [Israel] who live apart and do not consider themselves one of the nations."

Balaam was a pagan sorcerer who was hired by Balak, king of Moab, to curse Israel because he felt threatened by them when they moved close to his border. When Balaam went off by himself to get the word on cursing Israel, the Lord spoke to him and gave him something to take back to Balak. In the midst of what the Lord gave to Balaam, the above observation was made.

Balaam saw Israel as a people who "live apart" and did not "consider themselves one of the nations." I find the observation truthful and accurate (well, it was a part of what the Lord gave to Balaam to take back to Balak, so it had to be truthful and accurate!) As a nation, Israel stands alone from all other nations.

Israel has been the only nation that has had a covenant with God. Here is Paul's summation of the unique aspect of Israel as God's covenant nation, "Theirs is the adoption to sonship; theirs the divine glory, the covenants, the receiving of the law, the temple worship and the promises. Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them is traced the human ancestry of the Messiah, who is God over all, forever praised! Amen." Romans 9:4-5.

No other nation ever has had this place in God's economy of things. Israel has a unique relationship with God, as Balaam observed how the Israelites viewed themselves, they "live apart and do not consider themselves one of the nations." That unique relationship continues today, "as far as election is concerned, they [Israel] are loved on account of the patriarchs, for God's gifts and his call are irrevocable." Romans 11:28b-29.

God has inaugurated a new covenant with mankind, but it is with individuals, and not with a nation. Under the terms of this new covenant, members of all nations participate. Israel has been the only nation chosen by God for his purposes of bringing his Son into the world and for bringing and persisting his word, the Scriptures, into the world. Truly not just one of the nations!

Israel is a special nation. A nation that was created by God for his purposes. It has always been a special nation set apart from the family of all nations of the earth to be used by God in his inscrutable ways.

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.