Day 57: Hear, O Israel

 Today's readings: Numbers 6, Deuteronomy 6, and Psalm 91.

I. In the sixth chapter of Numbers, the focus is on the Nazirite vow (6:1-21) and the priestly blessing (6:22-27).

The BIY Companion, Vol 1, comments on the first:

For the Israelites, the Nazirite vow includes keeping one's hair uncut and abstaining from alcohol, and it is typically not lifelong. The Nazirite vow, then is a dedication of particular time of one's life to the Lord. (p. 124)

The Ignatius Bible notes some famous Nazarites:

Samson (Judg 13:4-5), Samuel (1 Sam 1:11), John the Baptist (Lk 1:15), and possibly James, the brother of the Lord (Gal 1:19; see Eusebius, Ecclesiastical History 2, 23). (p. 237) 

The chapter ends with the now well-known priestly blessing:

The Lord bless you and keep you:

The Lord make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you:

The Lord lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace.

The Ignatius Bible notes that "this is the only prescribed prayer in the Pentateuch" (p. 238). 

II. Deuteronomy 6 centers on loving God fully, teaching the next generation, and remaining faithful in the Promised Land. Moses warns the Israelites to fear the Lord and keep His laws, giving them the central confession of their faith, the Shema, and to love the Lord completely with total devotion (6:1-9). He also cautions them to not disobey the Lord or put Him to the test as they did previously (6:10-19). Finally, Moses tells the Israelites to teach future generations what God's laws mean and that they are rooted in His saving actions, not just arbitrary rules (6:20-25).

III. Psalm 91 is one of wisdom. As the Ignatius Bible notes:

It celebrates a relationship with God based on trust (91:2) and devotion (91:14). Its blessings include deliverance from evils (91:3-7), protection by angels (91:11-12), answers to prayers (91:15), and the gifts of a long life and salvation (91:16). Most of the psalm is the author's personal testimony, based on his experience (91:1-13), while its final verses are words of assurance spoken by God (91:14-16). (p. 910)

That's it for today!

Day 56: Jealous Husbands

Today's readings: Numbers 5, Deuteronomy 5, and Psalm 90.

I. In the fifth chapter of Numbers, the focus by Moses is on purity, restitution, and trust within the community of Israel while they are in the wilderness.

• Purity (5:1-4): God tells Moses to remove anyone who is ceremonially unclean (those with skin diseases like leprosy or with bodily discharges) from the camp. This isn't about punishment, but it is about maintaining holiness because God’s presence is among them.
• Restitution (5:5-10): If anyone is guilty of "breaking faith with the Lord," they shall confess it, make restitution either "to him to whom he did the wrong," or barring that to a kinsman, but if none are available then to the priest, who shall make a sacrifice of atonement for him.
• Trust (5:11-31): In an unusual passage, a ritual is described for a jealous husband who suspects his wife of adultery but has no proof. Before a priest, this ritual is performed wherein the woman drinks "bitter water" and the outcome is left to divine judgment. This odd trial by ordeal (very common then) seems to be to prevent vigilante justice and leaves judgment in God’s hands rather than human accusation.

II. Deuteronomy 5 contains a renewal of the covenant at Sinai (5:1-5), where Moses restates the Ten Commandments to the new generation before entering the Promised Land (5:6-21). A notable difference from that in Exodus 20:1-17, is the Sabbath command which is tied to Israel’s deliverance from Egypt, emphasizing gratitude for redemption. Moses reminded them that they had asked him to be their mediator for God's will at Mt. Sinai (5:22-27). The Lord grants this request (5:28-33) and the chapter ends with an exhortation to not turn away from God's commands, as obedience to Him leads to life and blessing in the land (5:28-33).

The BIY Companion, Vol 1, has some interesting comments on this:

In the ancient world, a woman was considered her husband's property, and he could do whatever he wanted to her. This tension between men and women - where men are tempted to dominate and use women - is one of the consequences of the Fall. In the Bible, we see God limiting a man's total authority over his wife in favor of a higher law. Since the Israelites have just been set free from slavery, they do not know how to live as free people, so God is teaching them. They are shown a new way of treating jealousy between spouses. This is a definite step toward greater equality and respect between men and women. (p. 122)

III. Psalm 90 is another one of lament. The Ignatius Bible notes:

The speaker confesses that God is eternal (90:1-2), complains that human life is short and burdened by troubles (90:3-12), and cries out for God's mercy, pleading for some measure of happiness in this life (90:13-17). (p. 909)

This is probably one of the most human-sounding psalms I've read thus far in this series. Most people can identify with what the speaker says in it and usually pleads for the same.

That's all for today!

Day 55: Obedience to God

 Today's readings: Numbers 4, Deuteronomy 4, and Psalm 88.

I. In the fourth chapter of Numbers, Moses focuses on the duties of the Levite clans in caring for the Tabernacle during Israel’s wilderness journey: 

• The Kohathites are assigned to carry the most sacred objects (e.g. Ark of the Covenant), but are not to touch or even see these items uncovered (4:1-20).
• The Gershonites are responsible for transporting the curtains, coverings, and hangings of the Tabernacle (4:21-28).
• The Merarites are assigned the heavier structural components like the frames, bars, pillars, etc. (4:29-33).
• A census is taken of all Levite men aged 30 to 50, the age range for service and each group is given specific roles (4:34-49).

This is all the "muscle" or "blue collar" workers you could say of sanctuary service. As monotonous as this all may seem to us today, it actually shows a certain order, organization,  responsibility, and reverence they had for their collective worship of God.

II. Deuteronomy 4 gives us Moses urging Israel to remain faithful as they prepare to enter the Promised Land. We find a blend of warning, theology, and remembrance. 

• Moses commands the Israelites to listen to and obey God, which will make them a witness to the nations, showing God’s wisdom (4:1-14). 
• He warns them to avoid idolatry, lest it lead to their scattering among the nations in punishment; but if they do and repent and seek God sincerely, they will find Him. (4:15-31).
• He challenges them to remember that Israel has experienced God's uniqueness in history unlike any other nation (4:32-40).
• Moses mercy by setting apart three cities for accidental manslayers to flee for protection (4:41-43).
• The chapter ends with Moses giving an introduction to the Law, which will be outlined further in subsequent chapters (4:44-49).

III. Psalm 88 is one of lament. As the Ignatius Bible notes:

The speaker is sick, sapped of strength, and senses that death is near (88:3-4). To make matters worse, he is ostracized by friends and loved ones (88:8, 18). Day and night, he prays for the Lord's help (88:1, 13) because he believes that his suffering comes from the Lord (88:7, 14-18). The psalm, written before the full revelation of a blessed afterlife in heaven, expresses a dim view of death as something that terminates one's ability to praise God (88:10-11). (p. 906)

A very sad one this is. It makes one wish they could reach out and give the speaker comfort in their final days, like telling them of all that was to come through Jesus Christ.

The BIY Companion, Vol 1, notes:

Psalm 88 is the only psalm that ends in darkness, while every other psalm ends in hope, even in the midst of pain and discouragement. (p. 120)

That's it for today!

Day 54: The Tribe of Levi

 Today's readings: Numbers 3, Deuteronomy 3, and Psalm 87.

I. In the third chapter of Numbers, the focus is on the Levites and their special role in serving God and caring for the Tabernacle. The Ignatius Bible notes on their role:

The Levites are put in charge of assembling and dissembling the Tabernacle as well as moving and maintaining it (1:50-51). Because the great majority of Levites are not priests from the line of Aaron (16:8-10), whose family has exclusive rights to the priesthood (Ex 40:12-15), they forbidden to perform priestly actions (e.g., sacrifices, libations, and incense offerings) in connection with the altars and vessels of the sanctuary (16:40; 18:6). The Levites serve instead as assistants to the priests, taking on most of the manual labor required for the sacrificial services. Numbers describes them as a divine "gift" bestowed upon Aaron and his sons (8:19; 18:6). (p. 232)

It sounds to me that these Levites acted like deacons in the New Testament, helping the priests. In the Old Testament, all priests had to be Levites, but not all Levites are priests.

II. Deuteronomy 3 continues Moses’ recounting of Israel’s final approach to the Promised Land, focusing on victory, inheritance, and transition. The utter defeat of King Og of Bashan is first told of, as well as the destruction of his lands, along with the distribution of the conquered territory to the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh (3:1-20). Moses encourages Joshua to be strong and not fear for God will fight for Israel as He did with these overthrown kings (3:21-22). The chapter finishes with a sad scene of Moses begging God to allow him to enter the Promised Land with the Israelites, but God refuses because of his earlier disobedience (3:23-26). Instead, Moses is allowed to see the land from Mt. Pisgah and God tells him to focus on preparing Joshua to lead in his place (3:27-29). So a big theme of this chapter is that God’s promises stand firm, even as leaders change and consequences remain.

On the sad scene with Moses, the BIY Companion, Vol 1, comments:

God loves Moses, and he is a faithful man. But as leader of Israel, he is held to a higher standard. Moses is allowed to go to the top of Mount Pisgah to see the Promised Lan, but he will die without entering it. God always answers our prayers, but sometimes the answer is no. In refusing to answer our prayers in the way we want, God is always faithful and loving. He still loves Moses - and he loves us and knows what is best for us. (p. 118)

III. Psalm 87 is one of joy and celebration. As the Ignatius Bible notes:

Jerusalem is praised as the epicenter of the world, the city found (87:1) and loved by God (87:2). She is the spiritual mother of God's people, wherever they may dwell (87:4, 6). Reflection on the universal significance of Zion may have roots in Israel's religious feasts, which is postexilic times brought pilgrims to the Lord's Temple from all over the ancient world (cf. Acts 2:5-11). (p. 905)

That's all for today!

Day 53: The Twelve Tribes of Israel

Today's readings: Numbers 2, Deuteronomy 2, and Psalm 85.

I. In the second chapter of Numbers, God tells Moses the order of encampment and marching for the Israelite tribes. It can be confusing reading Numbers and Deuteronomy together, but it helps to remember that Numbers begins at the start of Israel’s wilderness wanderings (and follows much of that period), while Deuteronomy takes place 40 years later at the end, as Israel prepares to enter the Promised Land. On this chapter of Numbers, the Ignatius Bible notes:

The tribes are assigned positions for camping and marching. The camp surrounds the Tabernacle and is made of an outer frame of lay tribes and an inner frame of Levitical clans. On the march, the eastern tribes set out first, the southern tribes second, the tribe of Levi third, and the western tribes fourth, and the northern tribes last. (p. 231)

I like the commentary from BIY Companion, Vol 1, about the relevance of such passages that may seem to be trivial, inconsequential, and irrelevant to us today:

As we have seen, the Tabernacle was the center of the Israelites' camp, with the Levite camped around it. The remaining twelve tribes were located to the east, west, north, and south, just beyond the Levites... The entire world would be blessed through the tribe of Judah with the coming of Jesus. Judah is on the eastern side, next to the Tabernacle, and Judah is the first tribe to march into battle... The arrangement of the Israelites' camp shows that God favors order. He brings order to a people who have just been released from slavery and lack order... Today, let your praise go up first, and center God in the midst of your life like the Israelites' formation around the Tabernacle in their camp. (p. 116) 

II. Now 40 years later, Deuteronomy 2 continues Moses’ recounting of Israel’s wilderness journey, focusing on God’s guidance and limits. The Ignatius Bible notes:

The final leg of the wilderness journey. At this time, the Israelites avoid conflict with the Edomites (2:1-8), Moabites (2:9-15), and Ammonites (2:16-25) but take up arms against the Amorite kingdoms of Sihon and Og (2:26-3:11). The account is interspersed with historical notes about the displacement of former populations in the region, such as the Emim (by Moab, 2:10-11), the Horites (by Edom, 2:12), and the Zamzummim (by Ammon, 2:20-21). In seizing Amorite lands by force of arms, Israel takes its place among the "conquerors" of the Transjordan. (p. 285)

III. Psalm 85 is one of lament. It seems like for every psalm of praise and celebration, there is another of lament or pleading with God for mercy. Such reflects human experience I suppose. The Ignatius Bible notes on this:

Sensing that God is unhappy with his people, the poets appeals to God's mercy in the past (85:1-3) in the hope that forgiveness will be granted in the present as well (85:4-7). He then learns by divine revelation that peace will come to those who return to the Lord in their hearts (85:8-9). This confirms that Israel's faith that God is merciful, faithful, and righteous (85:10-13). According to some scholars, the background of the psalm is the difficult period that followed the return of Jewish exiles from Babylon beginning in 538 B.C. Neglect of the duty to rebuild the Jerusalem Temple was the community's primary failure at this time (Hag 1:7-11). (p. 904)

That's it for today!

Day 52: Israel Continues to Journey

 Today's readings: Numbers 1, Deuteronomy 1, and Psalm 84.

I. The beginning chapter of Numbers is, well, all about numbers. That is, the first census of Ancient Israel. Specifically, the men of fighting age in all the tribes. As the Ignatius Bible notes:

Numbers picks up where Leviticus left off, with Israel encamped at the base of Mt. Sinai (Lev 27:34). This is the setting for the initial chapters of the book until the march toward Canaan begins 19 days later (10:11-12)... Numbering the men of war is one of the final preparations made before Israel sets out from Sinai to seize hold of the Promised Land. The refusal of this army to march against Canaan in chaps. 13-14 will result in 38 additional years of wandering in the wilderness (Deut 2:14) until the next generation is counted by a second census (chap. 26)... (p. 229)

II. In the first chapter of Deuteronomy, we see that it takes place at the end of 40 years after the generation of the first census (Nu 1:1-2), just before entering the Promised Land. The book itself is essentially Moses’ final speeches, restating and applying the Law to a new generation. He recounts in this chapter the appointment of tribal leaders (1:9-18), Israel's refusal to enter the Promised Land after being paralyzed by fear and unbelief (1:19-33), and Israel's punishment by God for their rebellion (1:34-46). God chastised them by promising "not one of these men of this evil generation shall see the good land that I swore to give to your fathers" (1:35). This also included Moses himself (1:37-38). Israel repented of their behavior and sought to fight (1:41), but despite being warned not to go, they were defeated by the Amorites (1:42-45).  Here, the first chapter ends.

III. Psalm 84 is one of joy and celebration. As the Ignatius Bible notes:

It celebrates making a pilgrimage to Jerusalem and worshipping the Lord in his sanctuary. The Psalmist yearns to stand in God's presence (84:1-4); he reflects on the journey (84:5-7); he makes intercession for Israel's king (84:8-9); and he praises the Lord as the source of blessing and the One worthy of trust (84:10-12). (p. 903)

That's all for today!

Introduction to Desert Wanderings

 

Today, there are no readings; instead, a video introduction to the next part of Scripture: the desert wanderings. Fr. Mike Schmitz is joined by Jeff Cavins for this. What is interesting about this period, as the BIY Companion, Vol 1 notes:

The number forty is important in the Bible, as it represents trials, difficulties, and testing. It rained for forty days after Noah built the Ark. Moses was on Mount Sinai for forty days, and now Israel will experience their testing for forty years in the wilderness. The greatest change takes place in daily living. In obedience to the Law of God, Israel adopts new food, clothing, worship, and legal processes to set them apart from the practices of Egypt and the other nations. It is these new ways of living that set them free from bondage. Israel's obedient change of heart results in an ever-deepening freedom. (p. 113)