A Survey of the Old Testament Law--Numbers 19 (Part 2)

I say then, has God cast away His people? Certainly not! (Romans 11:1). God is not through with Israel. And He never will be. Jeremiah 31:37—Thus says the LORD: “If heaven above can be measured, and the foundations of the earth searched out beneath, I will also cast off all the seed of Israel for all that they have done, says the LORD.” Has all of space been explored? Has anyone been to the center of the Earth? No, they haven’t. And so, God has not cast away Israel from His sight. And again, in echoing this sentiment, Paul calls on the words of the prophets in Romans 11:2-4—2 God has not cast away His people whom He foreknew. Or do you not know what the Scripture says of Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel, saying, 3 "LORD, they have killed Your prophets and torn down Your altars, and I alone am left, and they seek my life"? (1st Kings 19:14) 4 But what does the divine response say to him? "I have reserved for Myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Ba'al." (1st Kings 19:18) 5 Even so then, at this present time there is a remnant according to the election of grace. God made a covenant with the people of Israel; He separated them from the Nations, and set them apart as His. Are we to now believe that God has simply washed His hands of this nation that He called His? What kind of unfaithful God would He be if He could just simply ignore this people He called to Himself? No, He could not. 

So then, what are we to make of the Apostle’s words? Simply this: while God has not done away with Israel, He has nonetheless called on Gentiles to also be His people. Romans 11:17-20—17 And if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them, and with them became a partaker of the root and fatness of the olive tree, 18 do not boast against the branches. But if you do boast, remember that you do not support the root, but the root supports you. 19 You will say then, "Branches were broken off that I might be grafted in." 20 Well said. Because of unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by faith. Yes, salvation has come to the Gentiles (Acts 28:28). And why? But through their fall, to provoke them to jealousy, salvation has come to the Gentiles. (Romans 11:11) Does this mean that the entire tree was cut down? God forbid! Do not say that God has cast the entire tree into the fire, for saying this could not be farther from the truth. For if He did, He would have to assign the entire human race to the fires of Hell. Which He would be right in doing, had He not first marked out a particular people as His own, with whom we are now grafted into that olive tree, that all, both Jew and Gentile, may become partakers of Christ, there being no division between the two, but all being one in the same olive tree. So then, what does this have to do with statutes in the Law that are called “statutes forever”? This: these statutes were fulfilled in Christ. “I came…to fulfill” (Matthew 5:17). Since these statutes have been fulfilled in Christ, and He is such a High Priest, who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens (Hebrews 8:1). And because He is a High Priest forever, both for Jew and Gentile, He is to this day and for always fulfilling the commands of the Father. Thus we can say that these “statutes forever” are being fulfilled, and will be fulfilled, until the end of the ages in Christ Jesus our Lord! 

Numbers 19:11-22—11 “'He who touches the dead body of anyone shall be unclean seven days. 12 He shall purify himself with the water on the third day and on the seventh day; then he will be clean. But if he does not purify himself on the third day and on the seventh day, he will not be clean. 13 Whoever touches the body of anyone who has died, and does not purify himself, defiles the tabernacle of the LORD. That person shall be cut off from Israel. He shall be unclean, because the water of purification was not sprinkled on him; his uncleanness is still on him. 14 This is the law when a man dies in a tent: All who come into the tent and all who are in the tent shall be unclean seven days; 15 and every open vessel, which has no cover fastened on it, is unclean. 16 Whoever in the open field touches one who is slain by a sword or who has died, or a bone of a man, or a grave, shall be unclean seven days. 17 And for an unclean person they shall take some of the ashes of the heifer burnt for purification from sin, and running water shall be put on them in a vessel. 18 A clean person shall take hyssop and dip it in the water, sprinkle it on the tent, on all the vessels, on the persons who were there, or on the one who touched a bone, the slain, the dead, or a grave. 19 The clean person shall sprinkle the unclean on the third day and on the seventh day; and on the seventh day he shall purify himself, wash his clothes, and bathe in water; and at evening he shall be clean. 20 'But the man who is unclean and does not purify himself, that person shall be cut off from among the assembly, because he has defiled the sanctuary of the LORD. The water of purification has not been sprinkled on him; he is unclean. 21 It shall be a perpetual statute for them. He who sprinkles the water of purification shall wash his clothes; and he who touches the water of purification shall be unclean until evening. 22 Whatever the unclean person touches shall be unclean; and the person who touches it shall be unclean until evening.'” 

In this passage we see the uncleanness of death and how it could make anyone even in the general area of it unclean. And why? Because death comes about because of sin. Romans 5:12—Death spread to all men, because all sinned. So the person who was even in the vicinity of death had to be purified before he brought his sacrifice, lest he defile the Tabernacle. By “Tabernacle” is not to imply simply the tent itself, as no one but a priest could enter it, but rather the entirety of what is called the Tabernacle—including the outer court where the people brought their sacrifices. If anyone unclean were to enter in, they would defile the Tabernacle of God. The penalty for that would be that the person would be cut off from the people. In other words, they were to be put to death. 

In order to be made clean, the person had to have the ashes applied to him on the third day and the seventh day after he became defiled. And how would they purify themselves? They would take some of the ashes of the heifer burnt for purification from sin, and running water shall be put on them in a vessel. Another picture of Christ. “How so?” In John 4:10, Jesus tells the Samaritan woman at the well, "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, 'Give Me a drink,' you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water." The phrase “living water” is υδωρ ζων (hudor zoe) in the Greek. These same Greek words are used in the Septuagint in Numbers 19:17 to translate the Hebrew Phrase מַיִם חַיִּים (chiim mayim, “running water”). And the word חַיִּים (chiim) is from the root word חָיָה (haya, “to live”). From this word we get the Hebrew word יהוה‎, which comes into English as “YHVH”. The water they were to add to the ashes of the red heifer was living water, running water. Just as the water that Jesus gives us, the living water, is water from God, cleansing us and purifying us. 

We have been reconciled to God, cleansed by God, purified by God, atoned for by God, justified by God—so that He may have for Himself a special people, made up of Jew and Gentile, from all parts of the world, from all different backgrounds, from the gentlest and humblest beginnings and from those who spent years blaspheming His name. Who else but God could make such a thing happen! 

Long my imprisoned spirit lay/Fast bound in sin and nature's night;

Thine eye diffused a quick'ning ray/I woke, the dungeon flamed with light;

My chains fell off, my heart was free/I rose, went forth and followed Thee. [Refrain] 

No condemnation now I dread/ Jesus, and all in Him is mine!

Alive in Him, my living Head/And clothed in righteousness divine,

Bold I approach th'eternal throne

And claim the crown, through Christ my own

(“And Can It Be That I Should Gain” by Charles Wesley) 

Finally, we must ask a question: “Why a heifer? A heifer is female, and all the other offerings are male. Why would God choose a female animal to purify those defiled by death?” This is a question that we could ponder for ages. One thought I had was that it pointed to Mary, being a young woman no man had known intimately. It could point to her, but not all aspects of the red heifer point to her, as she does not purify (although she brought forth the One who does purify). It could also represent the church, the Bride of Christ. The ashes of the heifer were burned with the cedar, scarlet and hyssop, possibly signifying the Bride being identified with the destruction of the Son of God. Many times in the New Testament we see language of us dying to our old self with Christ. Romans 6:3—Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? 1^st Corinthians 15:35-36—35 But someone will say, "How are the dead raised up? And with what body do they come?" 36 Foolish one, what you sow is not made alive unless it dies. So why would God call for this female animal to bring forth purification? We may never know. 

Let me finish up by talking a little more about the red heifer and the Third Temple. Jerusalem is a city hotly contested by Jews and Muslims. Each side thinks that their side is the rightful recipient of it. This is not an issue that can be resolved quickly, or politically, as this is not a political issue, but a theological one. And until the world leaders realize this, no amount of negotiating and hand-shaking will change anything. This goes back even farther than the time of the Crusades, when the forces of Christendom wrested control of the city from the Muslim Seljuk Turks. This is an issue that goes back thousands of years to the days of Abraham. See, it is believed that Arabs are descended from Ishmael. And we know that Jews are descended from Isaac. Ishmael is considered by Muslims to be an ancestor of their prophet Mohammed. When we consider that the Qur’an states that it was Ishmael that Abraham was told by God (Qur’an, “Allah”) to sacrifice on Mount Moriah—what many refer to as the Temple Mount (הר המקדש, har hamakdash), and we add to that the fact that the Al-Aqsa mosque (The “Dome of the Rock”) sits atop this hill, and it would be atop this hill that the Third Temple would be built, we can see why tensions would be high concerning any attempt to displace this mosque with a Jewish temple. 

So, should we be eagerly anticipating for them to find the tenth red heifer? Is that something we should be hoping will happen? Well, no and yes. While on the one hand it will begin what will turn into a worldwide war, and cause death and suffering for millions—perhaps even billions—of people, it will also mark the beginning of the end, and the return of Christ will be close at hand. And with His return will come our final redemption, when we will all be taken up to the New Jerusalem, which will never see either war or poverty, neither disease nor suffering. Revelation 21:3-4—3 And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. 4 And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away." 

Lo! What a glorious sight appeared/before admiring eyes:

The former things all passed away/the former earth and skies.

From heav’n the new Jerus'lem came/for Christ, as bride prepared.

A voice resounding from the throne/these wondrous things declared: 

"Now God has come to dwell with men/and moved his blest abode.

His people they shall be at last/and he shall be their God.

His gracious hand shall wipe the tears/from ev'ry weeping eye,

For pain and grief shall be no more/and death itself shall die." 

The One who sat upon the throne/said, “I make all things new!

Write down the words that you have heard/for they are firm and true.

It is all done, and by my pow'r/is paradise restored.

I am the First, and I the Last/the one eternal Lord.” 

Those are the words of another great hymnist, Isaac Watts, from his hymn “The Glorious Reign of Christ on Earth”. Yes, in those last days the Earth will groan as a woman in labor. But when those days have been completed, the Earth will rejoice, knowing its redemption is drawing near, and both we and it will no longer be under the curse, for we will all be with God and His Christ, to live in the presence of the glory of the Lamb for all eternity! 

Lord, we thank You that You have not left us in our former state, that we should live in the sin and death we were formerly in, but You have made us partakers with Christ of Your glory! Help us to always pray for the peace of Jerusalem, but let us also remember that Creation must experience the birth pangs of the return of our Lord, to redeem all Creation unto You, that we may no longer suffer poverty or disease, and especially not death! For Christ has defeated death, and given us the victory through Him! 

Jesus Christ is Lord.

Amen.

A Survey of the Old Testament Law--Numbers 19 (Part 1)

The ordinance of the Red Heifer

Numbers 19:1-10—1 Now the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, 2 "This is the ordinance of the law which the LORD has commanded, saying: 'Speak to the children of Israel, that they bring you a red heifer without blemish, in which there is no defect and on which a yoke has never come. 3 You shall give it to Eleazar the priest, that he may take it outside the camp, and it shall be slaughtered before him; 4 and Eleazar the priest shall take some of its blood with his finger, and sprinkle some of its blood seven times directly in front of the tabernacle of meeting. 5 Then the heifer shall be burned in his sight: its hide, its flesh, its blood, and its offal shall be burned. 6 And the priest shall take cedar wood and hyssop and scarlet, and cast them into the midst of the fire burning the heifer. 7 Then the priest shall wash his clothes, he shall bathe in water, and afterward he shall come into the camp; the priest shall be unclean until evening. 8 And the one who burns it shall wash his clothes in water, bathe in water, and shall be unclean until evening. 9 Then a man who is clean shall gather up the ashes of the heifer, and store them outside the camp in a clean place; and they shall be kept for the congregation of the children of Israel for the water of purification; it is for purifying from sin. 10 And the one who gathers the ashes of the heifer shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until evening. It shall be a statute forever to the children of Israel and to the stranger who dwells among them. 

The ordinance of the red heifer has come up frequently in the news lately, as the Jews have been diligently searching for a suitable one for years, even going so far as to import several from Texas into Jerusalem so they may begin the process of building the Third Temple. And every time they have gotten close to finding one, they notice one little flaw that excludes it from being qualified. “What is a heifer, anyway?” Simply put, a heifer is a female cow that has not yet given birth. The red heifer prescribed here would not be red as in scarlet, but rather a brownish-red color. And it had to be without blemish “What would be a blemish?” Even something as simple as two white hairs growing next to each other or a total of three white hairs growing anywhere on the cattle would be enough to disqualify it. Any kind of eruption in the skin or eyes or any sickness would also disqualify it. And there are many Jews who are scouring the world looking for this elusive perfect beast without blemish. So what would happen if they did find one? Well, that’s where things get complicated. 

If they did find a perfect red heifer (אֲדֻמָּה פָרָה, para adumah) without spot or blemish, the calls would immediately go out to begin working on the Third Temple in Jerusalem. And that would cause a great controversy, and possibly even widespread war in the Middle East. You see, the Jews would want to build this temple atop Mount Moriah, where Abraham took Isaac to sacrifice him (Genesis 22:1-14). And the Muslim Al-Aqsa Mosque (also known as the Dome of the Rock) sits there now, as a Muslim holy site, and the surrounding Muslim nations would not be happy if Israel razed it to build their Jewish temple. One can only imagine what would happen as a result of this. All the Muslim nations would not cease to attack Israel. Even Muslims living in other countries would attack individual Jews simply for being Jewish. It would be chaos around the globe, simply because someone found a cow. But we will not speculate at this time, but rather simply study the text. 

By reading the text, we can see how diligent must the priests have been to find a specimen that would fulfill all the requirements. This, as all of the priestly work, was no easy task, as they had to examine every little inch of any candidate. If they found two or three white or black hairs; if they found a speck in its eye, if a yoke had even been placed on it; if there was anything whatsoever that made it not perfect, it was not perfect. Period! The Jewish scholar Maimonides said that between the time of the giving of Torah until the destruction of the Second Temple, only nine red heifers were used. This does not necessarily mean that only nine have ever existed, but that only nine were ever used:

 

Nine red heifers were offered from the time that they were commanded to fulfill this mitzvah until the time when the Temple was destroyed a second time. The first was brought by Moses, our teacher. The second was brought by Ezra. Seven others were offered until the destruction of the Second Temple. And the tenth will be brought by the King Moshiach (Messiah); may he speedily be revealed. Amen, so may it be God’s will. (Maimonides, “Laws of Parah Adumah”) 

If only he realized that King Moshiach has already come! Hebrews 9:13-14—13 For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, 14 how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? 

“Speak to the children of Israel, that they bring you a red heifer without blemish, in which there is no defect and on which a yoke has never come.” Not only was this heifer to be a perfect specimen physically, but it could not have been used for common work. Again, separating the holy from the profane. If it had worn a yoke that would have made it a common specimen of cattle, and could not have been used for holy purposes. Just as the Levites were set apart from their brethren to perform the holy duties of the Tabernacle, and just as the requirements of clean and unclean animals and the prohibition against wearing mixed fabrics were also pointing to the people being separate from the surrounding nations, so this red heifer was set apart to be used for purifying. And since nothing impure can make anything pure, this animal had to be pure. Which is why God lays out these specific rules for this beast. 

“3 You shall give it to Eleazar the priest, that he may take it outside the camp, and it shall be slaughtered before him; 4 Eleazar the priest shall take some of its blood with his finger, and sprinkle some of its blood seven times directly in front of the tabernacle of meeting.” What would happen was Eleazar would take the animal outside the camp, along with the other priests, and they would slay it before Eleazar. The High Priest was not to slay it, but rather it was to be slain in front of him. He would simply be there to supervise. The blood was to be sprinkled seven times in front of the Tabernacle as a reminder for the priests that they were also sinners, and they needed to be cleansed before they could cleanse others (see Leviticus 8-10). That before they entered into the Holy Place, they would be reminded that they must be pure and undefiled. And that if they were not, their life would be the penalty they paid. And if that penalty were not paid, and the priest was not atoned for, he could not enter the presence of God. 

“Then the heifer shall be burned in his sight: its hide, its flesh, its blood, and its offal shall be burned.” The priests would burn the whole thing. It was not to be cut up, it was not to be apportioned. It was not even to be washed. Think about that. An animal that was to be used for purifying was not to be washed. But it was not the animal itself but rather the ashes of the burned carcass were to be purified with running water, which we will see later. But here we see another foreshadowing of Christ: slain outside the city of Jerusalem, in the sight of God the Father, and the wrath of God coming down like fire from Heaven and consuming His Son. Especially when we join these words to the next verse, in which God instructs Moses that Eleazar shall take cedar wood and hyssop and scarlet, and cast them into the midst of the fire burning the heifer. To miss the Cross in this verse is to miss everything. For what is added to the fire? Wood and hyssop and scarlet. The wood of course is the Cross, the scarlet represents Christ’s blood. But what about the hyssop? John 19:29—Now a vessel full of sour wine was sitting there; and they filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on hyssop, and put it to His mouth. So we have the slaughtered animal (Christ), the fire (God’s wrath), the wood (Cross), the scarlet (Christ’s blood) and the hyssop (the vinegar given to Christ). Luke 24:27—And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself. Galatians 3:24—Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. Again I say, the Law points to Christ! 

7 “Then the priest shall wash his clothes, he shall bathe in water, and afterward he shall come into the camp; the priest shall be unclean until evening. 8 And the one who burns it shall wash his clothes in water, bathe in water, and shall be unclean until evening.” In gathering up the ashes of the heifer, the priests were in fact handling the products of death, which defiled them. Therefore they would be unclean until the evening. If the Law said that touching anything dead made the person unclean, how much more will we, touching anything sinful—we being a holy priesthood—become unclean? Let us, rather, abstain from the death that comes from sin, that we may remain clean in God’s sight, being always ready to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ (1st Peter 2:5). For if we are in Christ we are holy—that word “holy” (Hebrew קֹדֶשׁ (qodesh), Greek ἅγιος (hagios)) meaning set apart, sanctified, consecrated to God. Think about that! If you belong to Christ, you have been set apart to the God of all Creation, you belong to Him, you are His, and He will guard you and protect you. He will safeguard you through this life, even if you do stumble into sin, and keep you in His mighty hand because of the sacrifice of our great Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! 

Guide me, O my great Redeemer,/pilgrim through this barren land;
I am weak, but you are mighty;/hold me with your powerful hand.
Bread of heaven, bread of heaven,/feed me now and evermore,
Feed me now and evermore.

(“Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah” by William Williams) 

9 “Then a man who is clean shall gather up the ashes of the heifer, and store them outside the camp in a clean place; and they shall be kept for the congregation of the children of Israel for the water of purification; it is for purifying from sin. 10 And the one who gathers the ashes of the heifer shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until evening. It shall be a statute forever to the children of Israel and to the stranger who dwells among them.” Look at the first part of the text. “Then a man who is clean shall gather up the ashes of the heifer, and store them outside the camp in a clean place.” It speaks of a man who is clean taking up the remains of the sacrifice and putting them in a clean place, one which has not been touched by anything dead. Luke 23:50-53—50 Now behold, there was a man named Joseph, a council member, a good and just man. 51 He had not consented to their decision and deed. He was from Arimathea, a city of the Jews, who himself was also waiting for the kingdom of God. 52 This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. 53 Then he took it down, wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a tomb that was hewn out of the rock, where no one had ever lain before. The man taking up the ashes of the red heifer were a type of Joseph of Arimathea taking up the body of the perfect sacrifice for sin and laying it in a new tomb. “And they shall be kept for the congregation of the children of Israel for the water of purification; it is for purifying from sin.” Which is a picture of how Jesus now sits in the holiest of temples, seated at the right hand of God, ever living to purify us from sin and to keep us holy who love and worship Him! 

Now, let’s think about the last part of this passage, where God says that “It shall be a statute forever to the children of Israel and to the stranger who dwells among them.” It says many times in the Law that certain aspects and commands in the Law will be “a statute forever”. Does this mean that we are to keep these statutes forever, and if so, if we do not conform to these statutes, are we then cut off from God? God forbid! Remember two things about these statutes: (1) these were made to the people of Israel at a certain time, and (2) this was the Old Covenant, which the people forsook, which God overlooked for a time, but finally made a New Covenant for all His people, both Jew and Gentile—not only the physical descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob—but as it is written, "And in that day there shall be a Root of Jesse, Who shall stand as a banner to the people; for the Gentiles shall seek Him, and His resting place shall be glorious" (Isaiah 11:10). The Apostle Paul echoed this sentiment when he said 6 But it is not that the word of God has taken no effect. For they are not all Israel who are of Israel, 7 nor are they all children because they are the seed of Abraham; but, "In Isaac your seed shall be called." 8 That is, those who are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God; but the children of the promise are counted as the seed (Romans 9:6-8). The New Covenant has indeed been made with Israel—not Israel of the flesh, but the Israel of faith.

Part 2 next week

 

Jesus Christ is Lord.

Amen. 

A Survey of the Old Testament Law--Numbers 18 (Part 2)

Numbers 18:20—Then the LORD said to Aaron: “You shall have no inheritance in their land, nor shall you have any portion among them; I am your portion and your inheritance among the children of Israel.” The Levites were the only tribe allowed to do the work of priests. Likewise, they were the only tribe to not be allotted a portion of land. So where did they live? Did they sleep around the Tabernacle? No. They were given cities within the land of each of the tribes. Six of these cities were what were called “cities of refuge”. These were cities men could flee to if they killed a person accidentally (Numbers 35). We will see more about them when we get there. In Numbers 35:6, it says they were to have an additional 42 cities, bringing the total number to 48 (4 in the land of each tribe). They owned nothing. No land, no cattle, no grain fields. Nothing. Why? Because they had the Lord for their inheritance. They did not own cattle, for they received of the sacrifices of cattle. They owned no grain fields, for they received of the Grain Offerings that were given. They did not own olive trees, for they received of the oil given in sacrifice. They were to live in cities they did not own. This was another type of sacrifice for the people, giving up land for the service of God. 

So outside of the sacrifices (which may not be enough to support the entirety of the Tribe of Levi), how were the Levites supported? Numbers 18:21—“Behold, I have given the children of Levi all the tithes in Israel as an inheritance in return for the work which they perform, the work of the tabernacle of meeting.” Okay, so here’s another controversial opinion: are we 21^st Century Gentiles commanded to tithe? No, we are not. Tithing is mentioned in the New Testament, but it is never commanded. “So you’re saying that Christians should not give anything at all?” Did I say that? No, I did not. I said we are not commanded to tithe. Many churches would disagree with that, and many lay people, but it is the truth. “But what about Malachi 3:8-10? That says by not tithing, you are robbing God.” Yes, it does. But is Malachi in the New Testament or in the Old? Yes, it is in the Old Testament. Were the people still under the Law? Yes, they were. So then that does not apply to the New Testament church. “But Jesus commended the Pharisees for tithing of mint and anise and cumin! (Matthew23:23 and Luke 11:42)”. This is also true. But again, were the people not still under the Old Covenant? Yes, they were. They were doing that which was prescribed in the Law. But the New Covenant had not been initiated yet, so they were doing that which was right and lawful. “But what about Hebrews 7:8-9? Where it talks about Melchizedek receiving tithes from Abraham?” Again, tithes are mentioned, but this passage does not speak of tithes being commanded from the New Testament Gentile church. Did Abraham give tithes to Melchizedek? Yes. And where did he get those tithes to give to him? From the spoils of war when he fought the kings of the East (Genesis 14:1-24). Have you fought the kings of the East? Do you have spoils from war? Then this passage does not apply to you. Besides, where did the tithes go? To the Levites. So if you’re going to tithe, find a Levite and give him your 10%. “So should Christians be giving?” Yes. And we find the principle in 2nd Corinthians 9:6-7—6 But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 7 So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. And who do we give to? We give in Christ’s name, but where do we give our money? Well, wherever God leads us. Some give to the church, that they may disperse it to various needs. Some give to different charities, that they may help as they are led. Some give privately, helping family and friends and neighbors. But wherever you give, don’t do so because you feel that if you don’t, God will rain death upon you. Rather, give because that is what God wants us to do, and it helps our fellow man. All the Earth belongs to God (Deuteronomy 10:14), and if you ask, He will guide you and direct you to give where it is needed. A great resource for learning more about this subject is “A Guide to New Covenant Giving” by Jim McClarty of Grace Christian Assembly (the PDF can be downloaded here: 

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://salvationbygrace.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/grace_giving.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwjjuauS5e2IAxWJM9AFHdEKLW4QFnoECBMQAQ&usg=AOvVaw0bVE5PDymXSMBhTOPdqGv5). 

Numbers 18:22-24—22 “Hereafter the children of Israel shall not come near the tabernacle of meeting, lest they bear sin and die. 23 But the Levites shall perform the work of the tabernacle of meeting, and they shall bear their iniquity; it shall be a statute forever, throughout your generations, that among the children of Israel they shall have no inheritance. 24 For the tithes of the children of Israel, which they offer up as a heave offering to the LORD, I have given to the Levites as an inheritance; therefore I have said to them, ‘Among the children of Israel they shall have no inheritance.’” As we saw before, the Levites did not have a land inheritance as did the tribes of, say, Issachar and Zebulon. They were given cities in which to reside, but were not apportioned a specific amount of land. We will see in Chapter 35 that six of these cities were to be set aside as “cities of refuge”, where a man who committed what we would call involuntary manslaughter could flee for safety, and they were given 42 other cities. Why? Because, as God said, “I am your portion and your inheritance among the children of Israel”. They had something better than land; they were in the hand of God, to go between Him and the people, and to make intercession for the people. They were truly God’s chosen ones, the ones He had redeemed from all the people of all of the redeemed people of Israel—the redeemed of the redeemed, if you will—to be His special people. 

“Hereafter the children of Israel shall not come near the tabernacle of meeting, lest they bear sin and die”. God warned the people thus so that they knew, under no circumstances were they to come to the Tabernacle on their own, but were to bring their sacrifices to the Levites to offer them up for the people for the forgiveness of their sins. Today, we have One who offered up one sacrifice for sins (Hebrews 10:12), and that is the only sacrifice that God will accept. There is nothing we can offer that will satisfy the righteous requirement that God demands (and deserves). In the Parable of the Wedding Feast (Matthew 22:1-14), Jesus tells a parable about a king who threw a banquet for his son’s wedding. He invited many prominent people to this banquet. When they decided the minutiae of their lives were more important, the king sent his servants to round up whomever they could find. All who came in wore the robes the king gave them. Except for one man. He decided he did not need to be clothed with what the king was offering. What happened to him? Matthew 22:13—“Then the king said to the servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and cast him into outer darkness’”. We who are clothed in the righteousness of Christ (2nd Corinthians 5:21), however, are invited to feast with Him at the table of His Father (Revelation 19:7-9) at the wedding feast He will prepare for the Bride of His Son! 

Christ today spreads a banquet of mercy,

And his servants invite to his home;

Sinner, all now is ready and waiting,

On the highways of sin cease to roam.

 

Slight no longer the kind invitation,

And the message of mercy we bring;

O accept now the bounty of Jesus,

And sit down at the feet of thy King. [Refrain]

 

Still the Spirit so tenderly woos you,

And the Bride full of love, echoes, “Come;”

Him that heareth and will, whosoever,

Let him come to the heavenly home

[Refrain]

Out on the highways, into the byways,

Over the mountain, over the sea,

Carry the message, tell of salvation,

Ring out the tidings, “Mercy is free.”

 (“The Gospel Invitation” by Horace Lincoln) 

We can not only approach the Tabernacle in the Heavens, we can even go near the very throne of God, as we have been clothed in the righteousness of Christ. And we do not come meekly, as a dog that has misbehaved and fears reprisal from its owner. No, friend, we come as a son who comes to the Father of Mercies, knowing that we who are in Christ will have our pleas for forgiveness heard by our Faithful and Merciful Father, who will extend to us forgiveness for our faith in His Son—that Son who will not allow even one of His sheep to be lost—that we may come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need! (Hebrews 4:16) 

Numbers 18:25-32—25 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 26 "Speak thus to the Levites, and say to them: 'When you take from the children of Israel the tithes which I have given you from them as your inheritance, then you shall offer up a heave offering of it to the LORD, a tenth of the tithe. 27 And your heave offering shall be reckoned to you as though it were the grain of the threshing floor and as the fullness of the winepress. 28 Thus you shall also offer a heave offering to the LORD from all your tithes which you receive from the children of Israel, and you shall give the LORD's heave offering from it to Aaron the priest. 29 Of all your gifts you shall offer up every heave offering due to the LORD, from all the best of them, the consecrated part of them.' 30 Therefore you shall say to them: 'When you have lifted up the best of it, then the rest shall be accounted to the Levites as the produce of the threshing floor and as the produce of the winepress. 31 You may eat it in any place, you and your households, for it is your reward for your work in the tabernacle of meeting. 32 And you shall bear no sin because of it, when you have lifted up the best of it. But you shall not profane the holy gifts of the children of Israel, lest you die.'" 

The people gave their tithes to the Levites, as the Levites did not own flocks or herds or fields. Did that exempt the Levites from giving? No. They were to take their tithes, take a tithe of those tithes, and give them to God. These would be counted as a Heave Offering. “What is a heave offering?” The Heave Offering was not a separate offering, but part of the Peace Offering (and other offerings as well). Leviticus 7:29-32—29 "Speak to the children of Israel, saying: 'He who offers the sacrifice of his peace offering to the LORD shall bring his offering to the LORD from the sacrifice of his peace offering. 30 His own hands shall bring the offerings made by fire to the LORD. The fat with the breast he shall bring, that the breast may be waved as a wave offering before the LORD. 31 And the priest shall burn the fat on the altar, but the breast shall be Aaron's and his sons'. 32 Also the right thigh you shall give to the priest as a heave offering from the sacrifices of your peace offerings.'" 

So why are they called “Wave Offerings” (הַתְּנוּפָה, tenuphah) and “Heave Offerings” (תְּרוּמָה, terumah)? Allow me to explain. These were not separate offerings, but described how the different parts of the Peace Offering were to be given. The Wave offering was the whole Peace Offering. When the Wave Offering was given, what would happen was the offeror would hold the Wave Offering in his hands, and the priest would put his hands underneath, and they would wave the offering from side to side, signifying peace between God and man, and that the whole of the Earth belonged to God. The Heave Offering was lifted up and down, the person confessing to God that it was from His hand, given to the person, and the person was giving it up to God in the person of the priest. Think about it. The Wave Offering was moved from side to side, the Heave Offering was lifted up and down. Side to side and up and down. Make these motions with your hands and what do you get? Looks like a cross, yes? Matthew 5:17—“I did not come to destroy [the Law] but to fulfill.” 

The signs pointing to Jesus are found all throughout the Law. The blood on the night of the first Passover (Exodus 12:7) was to be placed on the vertical doorposts and the horizontal lintel. The Wave Offerings and Heave Offerings were moved side to side and up and down as a foreshadowing of the Cross. When we get to the brazen serpent in Numbers 21, we will see that that too was a foreshadowing of Christ on the Cross. Which is why we must not only read the Law, but study the Law, that we may see that Christ was not any kind of Plan B by God, but was foreshadowed even in the earliest sections of Scripture. 

Lord, let us never trifle with Your Word or with Your holiness, knowing that You are the infinite God who created the heavens and the Earth. May we separate ourselves from the profane things, and always seek Your righteousness, which comes only from Christ. And may we always be looking for Christ, the Author and Finisher of all faith and be ready for His anticipated glorious return! 

Jesus Christ is Lord.

Amen.

 

A Survey of the Old Testament Law--Numbers 18 (Part 1)

Numbers 18:1-7—1 Then the LORD said to Aaron: "You and your sons and your father's house with you shall bear the iniquity related to the sanctuary, and you and your sons with you shall bear the iniquity associated with your priesthood. 2 Also bring with you your brethren of the tribe of Levi, the tribe of your father, that they may be joined with you and serve you while you and your sons are with you before the tabernacle of witness. 3 They shall attend to your needs and all the needs of the tabernacle; but they shall not come near the articles of the sanctuary and the altar, lest they die—they and you also. 4 They shall be joined with you and attend to the needs of the tabernacle of meeting, for all the work of the tabernacle; but an outsider shall not come near you. 5 And you shall attend to the duties of the sanctuary and the duties of the altar, that there may be no more wrath on the children of Israel. 6 Behold, I Myself have taken your brethren the Levites from among the children of Israel; they are a gift to you, given by the LORD, to do the work of the tabernacle of meeting. 7 Therefore you and your sons with you shall attend to your priesthood for everything at the altar and behind the veil; and you shall serve. I give your priesthood to you as a gift for service, but the outsider who comes near shall be put to death."

 

We are still in this section from Numbers 16-18, and wrapping up the damage that was done by Korah, Dathan, Abiram and the other 250 men with them, who challenged God’s way of doing things, and who thought they knew a better way. So basically, the priests had to start all over again in making the Tabernacle and themselves right before God before they could perform their rites in making atonement for the people and their sins. “You and your sons and your father's house with you shall bear the iniquity related to the sanctuary.” How had the Tabernacle been defiled, seeing as how Korah and company would not even draw near it? By the golden censers, which had been held by the rebels. Because these were defiled, and even though they had been melted down, the gold was used as a covering for the altar to remind the people that it is God who makes the rules (Numbers 16:38-40). So they had to be purified, and atonement had to be made for them. Those who did not fear Him did not understand the awesome power and glory and majesty of God. They were even more ignorant than animals. Isaiah 1:3—The ox knows its owner and the donkey its master's crib; but Israel does not know, My people do not consider. Even the ox and donkey know that God is God, but Korah and company had forgotten their God and all the works that He had done for them. And they rebelled against Him, had taken up the consecrated incense censers and because these rebels had touched them, the censers were defiled and atonement had to be made for them. Even the censer used by Aaron, for his was one with the defiled censers, and was now impure.

 

“And you and your sons with you shall bear the iniquity associated with your priesthood.”  Korah was a Levite, and thus was part of the priestly service. Because of his rebellion, all the priestly class were now defiled in the eyes of God, and the entire class had to be made pure because of his sin of defiance against God. The High Priest had to make this atonement, which is another reason God made Aaron’s rod to bud (Numbers 17), to show that he was the one to expiate their sins. He was the High Priest, the only one who could go into the Holy of Holies to make atonement for the priests. “Also bring with you your brethren of the tribe of Levi…They shall attend to your needs and all the needs of the tabernacle.” Besides the work of the High Priest in atoning for sin, there were other duties that had to be performed in the work of atonement. There being other miscellaneous deeds to be done, which if the High Priest performed them would run the risk of becoming defiled, these tasks were left to the Girgashites and Merarites. They would attend all the needs of the tabernacle, for example bringing in the animals for sacrifice, cutting them up and carrying out any offal or any part of the animal which was not to be placed on the altar.

 

But, God set limits for what these assistants could do and where they could and couldn’t go. “They shall not come near the articles of the sanctuary and the altar, lest they die—they and you also.” Yes, Aaron was in a high position. But with that high position came high responsibilities. He had to make sure that no one, not even another Levite, came near to the Holy of Holies. Because not only would that man die, having transgressed the command of God, but also Aaron, being over the work of the priests. Remember, this was a very delicate time in the people’s relationship with God. They had just had an open rebellion against God, and after the instigators were swallowed up by the earth, the people accused Moses and Aaron of killing Korah and company. Which led to God sending a plague which killed 14,700 people besides the original rebels. So the people, and the priests, had to tread lightly and do all that God said the way He said it should be done. Even Aaron was not immune to God’s wrath, so he made sure that everything was done the right way.

 

“And you shall attend to the duties of the sanctuary and the duties of the altar, that there may be no more wrath on the children of Israel.” God is love (1^st John 4:8). Too many people think that He is only love. They do not like to think that He is a wrathful God. But He is. And Korah’s rebellion incited that wrath, and it still hung over the people. But God can control His wrath. Ever know someone that has an out-of-control temper? One who, once they get wound up, can’t control themselves, and they just go into a berserker rage? That is not God. God knows how to control His anger, and how to save the righteous while punishing the wicked. Matthew 25:31-32—31 “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. 32 All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats.” He will take those who fed and clothed the poor and naked and welcome them into His kingdom, and will take those who ignored and oppressed the poor and hungry and cast them away from His presence. So even though His wrath hung over all the people, including the priests, He stayed it so that atonement could be made for the Tabernacle and the priesthood. “But what of the one who believes in Christ and lives a godly life for, say, fifteen or twenty years, and goes back to his old ways?” Jesus spoke of these people first in the parable of the sowers. God will let them grow for however long, and will judge them just as one who never believed. Matthew 15:26-30—“26 But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared. 27 So the servants of the owner came and said to him, 'Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?' 28 He said to them, 'An enemy has done this.' The servants said to him, 'Do you want us then to go and gather them up?' 29 But he said, 'No, lest while you gather up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, "First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn.'” These, even the ones who grew for fifteen or twenty years, were ones who were not planted by God. Matthew 15:13—“Every plant which My heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted.” He will pluck out the ones whom He did not know, but will gather His elect into His barn.

 

“Behold, I Myself have taken your brethren the Levites from among the children of Israel; they are a gift to you, given by the LORD, to do the work of the tabernacle of meeting.” Here we see another picture of Election—Here, God is electing a certain family to give as a gift to the High Priest, for the ministry of the people to God. We now have a greater High Priest, One who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens (Hebrews 8:1), to whom the Father gives a people as a gift. And it doesn’t matter what family we descend from. We could be Levites, or Gadites, or Gentiles. Just as God chose the Levites as a gift to the High Priest Aaron, so now God chooses people as a gift to give to the Great High Priest Jesus Christ. This is a somewhat controversial position to hold these days, but I do believe it is correct. For anyone to believe, faith is a gift given to us, it is not something we do on our own (Ephesians 2:8-9). For we were dead in trespasses and sins (Ephesians 2:1), and could do nothing to effect any faith toward God. Why? Because there was nothing inside us that wanted God. So He had to choose some to be saved, and predestined them to believe. And just as the Levites had to be purified to be given to Aaron, so we too need to be purified to be given to our Great High Priest.  Which is why Paul says in Romans 8:29—Whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified. He took us out of the muck and mire we were trapped in because of our sin, washed us, gave us a new heart, wrote His Law on our hearts, gave us faith to believe, and gave them to Christ as a gift for what He did on the Cross. And although I believe this to be true, there are some who do not. And that is okay. When we stand before the Bema of Christ, He will not ask us “Do you believe in Election?” He will simply ask us if we believe, and when we say “Yes, I believe!” He will usher us into the Kingdom of God! What a joyous Day that will be!

 

“I give your priesthood to you as a gift for service, but the outsider who comes near shall be put to death.” If it wasn’t clear enough from what happened to Korah and the other rebels, God lets it be known here, in no uncertain terms, that only the family of the tribe of Levi shall come near to the Tabernacle. Earlier we saw that only certain members of certain families of the tribe of Levi could even touch the tools used in the priestly service, and if any member of a family not specified touched them they—and Aaron—would die. Here we see that if anyone of any tribe got too close to the Tabernacle, God would cut them down as well. Now, here we need to share the words of Peter, regarding our standing in Christ. He is our High Priest, but guess what? We are priests! 1^st Peter 2:9—But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. The Apostle is echoing the words God spoke to the people in Exodus 19:6. We are a gift to Christ, just as the Levites were a gift to Aaron! Imagine that! When your day is not going well, remember that you are a gift to Christ! Nothing could ever be better than that! And why are we called to be Christ’s? That you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. So that we may show Christ to the world. That we may proclaim the God is God and Christ is Lord. Can you think of any greater calling in life? Being a doctor? Christ is the Great Physician. A lawyer? Christ is or Advocate and Mediator. No matter what profession you can imagine, being called to proclaim the name of Jesus Christ is far better than any!

 

“But look at the text! The outsider shall be put to death!” That is why God chose and purified us! So that He would not give His Son a defiled people, but a holy people. And nothing can separate us from Christ (Romans 8:1, 38-39). God the Father has given us to Christ as a gift, and He does not take returns. Once you are in Christ, you cannot be taken out of Him! “But you can apostatize! You can fall from grace!” Friend, if God would cast a person away who has run to Jesus for salvation, then we could not call Him a faithful God. Besides, if you try to walk away, Jesus will come and bring you back (Matthew 18:12-13). And if a person professes faith, for even a number of years, and falls away, that person was never given to Christ by the Father. “If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish?” (Luke 11:11). In this verse, Jesus is telling the people about God giving good gifts to people. How much more will He give His son even greater gifts! Will He give His Son a gift that He knows will be defective? When God saves us, we are no longer outsiders, but rather brothers and sisters in (and of) Christ. And we can go to the throne of our God at any time. Hebrews 4:16—Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Paul Kretzmann—

 

In all hours of trial and affliction, then, when we feel so sorely in need of some comfort that cannot be challenged and doubted, we have this fact to rely upon, that our High Priest has perfected a full and complete reconciliation, and that God no longer is angry with us, but will accept us with all the kindness of a fatherly heart and give to us all that we need for the enjoyment of eternal bliss in His presence. Thus both the assurance of pardon and of divine assistance is ours, and we may go on through life in the cheerfulness of faith, knowing that the rest of the Lord awaits us at the end of the course, when He takes us home.

 

We need an appointment to see a doctor, or mechanic or plumber. But we can go to God at any time, day or night, no matter where we are, and hold an audience with the great Creator and Lord. The One who is sovereign over all creation will always hear the prayers of His children. What a mighty God we serve!

 

Numbers 18:8-19 outline what things of the sacrifices belong to the priests, what was to be redeemed, etc. Before we pick up with verse 20, however, I do want to touch on a phrase in Numbers 18:19—“It is a covenant of salt forever before the LORD with you and your descendants with you.” Salt is mentioned frequently in Scripture. In Leviticus 2:13, God tells Moses that when a meat offering is made to Him, it must always contain salt, for salt not only adds flavor, but also preserves. When one is making a ham from a pig, how do they preserve it? By burying it in salt. If you’ve ever had country ham, you know that not only is it very salty, but it is also shelf stable, meaning it can be left out at room temperature for a long time without spoiling. That is because curing with salt removes many of the impurities that can cause the meat to spoil. In Leviticus, the salt was added to the offerings as a way to prevent them from spoiling in the harsh desert heat. But what of the “covenant of salt”? It was a sign that the covenant that God made with the people of Israel could not putrefy and spoil, and would be an everlasting covenant. It is as the covenant that Abijah reminded Jeroboam of in 2^nd Chronicles 13:4-5—4 “Hear me, Jeroboam and all Israel: 5 Should you not know that the LORD God of Israel gave the dominion over Israel to David forever, to him and his sons, by a covenant of salt?” This too was an everlasting covenant, one which Jesus continues to fulfill, being the Son of David.

 

And what is that salt? What is the salt that was added to Christ’s sacrifice to keep His kingdom pure? It is we who believe. Jesus says, in Matthew 5:13—“You are the salt of the earth.” We are in Christ, preserving His kingdom until His return, and keeping ourselves unspotted from the world (James 1:27). “But what if a Christian falls away from the faith?” Well, first, a true disciple of Christ cannot fall away from the faith; a true Christian will be kept by our good and faithful God (Philippians 1:6; Hebrews 10:14). Those who claim to be Christians but are in fact false converts, Jesus addresses at the end of Matthew 5:13—“But if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.” That salt is one that was impure from the beginning, and was not good for taste or preservation. Adam Clarke shared an insight into the saltiness of salt, and how salt can lose its saltiness, that I have always remembered:

 

That this is possible in the land of Judea, we have proof from Mr. [Henry] Maundrell, who, describing the Valley of Salt, speaks thus: “Along, on one side of the valley, toward Gibul, there is a small precipice about two men’s lengths, occasioned by the continual taking away of the salt; and, in this, you may see how the veins of it lie. I broke a piece of it, of which that part that was exposed to the rain, sun, and air, though it had the sparks and particles of salt, yet it had perfectly lost its savour: the inner part, which was connected to the rock, retained its savor, as I found by proof.”

 

“What does this mean?” Simply, that in order for us to retain our saltiness, we must remain close to the Rock that is Christ, to not go wandering near the tents of Korah and Dathan, to stay in the Word and to not stray from the Good Shepherd. Otherwise, we are “good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men” and we will bring shame upon the Kingdom of God.

 

The first mention of salt that is of great importance is in Genesis 19:26, when Lot’s wife is turned into a pillar of salt for looking back at the demolished cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. “Why was she turned into a pillar of salt?” Perhaps so that Jesus would have an object to point the people to, as He did in Luke 17:32—“Remember Lot’s wife”. He is telling the people to not look back fondly upon their former sinful selves, but to look forward, with Christ, to the coming Kingdom of God. To put Jesus’s words in context, Luke 17:31-33—31 “In that day, he who is on the housetop, and his goods are in the house, let him not come down to take them away. And likewise the one who is in the field, let him not turn back. 32 Remember Lot's wife. 33 Whoever seeks to save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it.” He is talking here of the times of His return, and those who would rather hang on to the fleeting pleasures of this life, rather than looking forward to Eternity in the presence of Almighty God. When there are people telling Him that they will abandon all to follow Him, He warns them in Luke 9:62—"No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God." In other words, “Do not mourn for your former days, when you enjoyed the luxuries of the life, while neglecting God. Once you have begun following Me, do not yearn for the former days, when you did what you wanted without your conscience bothering you. Follow Me”. We should all remember Lot’s wife, and the dire consequences that will overtake us when we forget Him and look back at the pleasures of our former sins.

Part 2 next week

 

 Jesus Christ is Lord.

Amen.