43 MASA 'AY (stages); Num 33-36, John 20&21

[Bruce Bertram]

Numbers 33 gives us a reiteration of the trip (trips) from Egypt to the Promised land by Israel. There is an interesting note at the beginning of the list of camping places.

3They journeyed from Rameses in the first month, on the fifteenth day of the first month; on the next day after the Passover the sons of Israel started out boldly in the sight of all the Egyptians, 4while the Egyptians were burying all their firstborn whom the LORD had struck down among them. The LORD had also executed judgments on their gods. (Numbers 33:3-4 NASB95)

Israel left while the Egyptians were burying their dead, and it is said that God executed judgments on Egypt’s gods also. When Israel arrives opposite the plains of Moab (verse 50) God gives them a reminder about removing all of the present occupants of the Land and their high places and idols. If they do not complete this process, then God says they will become a problem for Israel and that He will do to Israel what He was going to do to the inhabitants.

Chapter 34 gives us a layout of Israel’s borders, and a list of leaders for apportioning the Land by lot. Two and a half tribes get land on the east side of the Jordan (Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh). Chapter 35 lays out details of cities for the Levites and how much land around a city is included in the city borders, and also a list of cities of refuge with specific situations for their usage. If a death is caused by accident, a person may flee to a city of refuge in order to escape a family member’s vengeance. But a murderer must be put to death, because there is no expiation for the land for a human’s blood except by the death of the murderer.

33‘So you shall not pollute the land in which you are; for blood pollutes the land and no expiation can be made for the land for the blood that is shed on it, except by the blood of him who shed it. 34‘You shall not defile the land in which you live, in the midst of which I dwell; for I the LORD am dwelling in the midst of the sons of Israel.’ ” (Numbers 35:33-34 NASB95)

We wrap up the book of Numbers with chapter 36 and the regulations for inheritance, springing from a concern the tribe of Manasseh had for the loss of land if the daughters of Zelophehad married males from another tribe.

Mary goes to the tomb of Jesus as recorded in John 20 and sees that He isn’t there and the stone is rolled away. John (the disciple that Jesus loves) and Peter run to the tomb, but find the burial cloths laying inside and no body. They leave, but Mary stays there weeping, and as she weeps she looks inside the tomb once again. Two angels in white are inside and ask her why she is weeping. She says she weeps because of the missing body, turns around and sees another person that she thinks is the gardener. But Jesus speaks her name and then she recognizes Him. She tells the disciples what she has seen. Later, all the disciples except Thomas are gathered in a locked room on the first day of the week and Jesus appears among them. They see His hands and His side, and He breathes on them. The disciples tell Thomas but he won’t believe until he sees the marks also. Eight days later they are gathered again, this time with Thomas, Jesus appears and allays the doubt of Thomas by showing him His hands and side. A while later some of the disciples are fishing in the sea of Galilee when Jesus appears on the shore but they do not recognize Him at first. He asks about their fishing, and finding out they haven’t caught a thing gives them advice to put the nets out on the other side of the boat. They do and get overloaded with fish. The disciples recognize Jesus, and Peter gets so excited he jumps in and swims to shore. The others follow in the boat with the fish, and they have a barbecue with Jesus on shore. Jesus asks Peter about love and feeding His sheep three times, which may be connected to the denial of Jesus by Peter three times. He also makes a prophecy for Peter concerning his death, and John clarifies what some people thought was a prophecy that John wouldn’t die until Jesus returns. He ends his book by repeating a thought from the end of chapter 20.

30Therefore many other signs Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name. (John 20:30-31 NASB95)

Shalom

[Bruce Bertram]

Masa’ay; Numbers 33:1-36:13; Jeremiah 2:4-28, 3:4; John 20 &21

In Vows Part One, under the Mattot portion, we discussed vows and their importance. We looked at the essence of a vow, some broken vows, and Scripture that admonished us to both keep our vows when we make them but to avoid making them in the first place. Going past our ‘yes’ and ‘no’ just invites trouble (Mat. 5:33-37). We also looked at the relation between a vow and swearing and a promise, and we were reminded that a person who does not intend to follow through on his or her word won’t necessarily perform a vow anyway. Our word should be enough, without dragging in a higher authority to attest to our intent to carry it out.

In John 19, Jesus is murdered by crucifixion, but in chapter 20 we read of His resurrection, just as He said He would happen. All of what happened to Jesus was foretold (promised or we could even say ‘vowed’) in many previous writings. During His trial, false witness was presented, which is a form of a broken word or vow. Jesus does not vigorously protest or defend Himself through the court system, but suffers the effects of the broken words of people.

In a way, Jesus was fulfilling a promise or vow made by God all through the Word. But in another way He didn’t do what He did because He had to perform a vow. He did it willingly. Perhaps because it was the only way to do it, but certainly also His participation was completely voluntary.

39And He went a little beyond them, and fell on His face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will.” (Matthew 26:39 NASB95)

In other words, He didn’t have to do what He did because He was forced to, but because He ‘so loved the world.’

It is intriguing to me that the death of Jesus was sort of inside out. What I mean is that even though He didn’t follow through with the crucifixion because He was forced by a vow (He just said ‘yes’), He was punished even though He did everything He said He would do. He wasn’t punished because He broke His Word, but because He did all that He promised.

8Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, 10so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:8-11 NASB95)

The way it usually works is if a person makes a vow and breaks it, then punishment or penalty comes. But Jesus perfectly followed every word of God’s, yet was punished by us with death. Kind of makes you realize why the word refers to people sometimes as ‘perverted,’ doesn’t it?

Thank God that He didn’t leave the penalty in force, but resurrected Jesus to sit at His right hand and regain His glory, and also that we can share that glory with Him just ‘cause He said we could.

Shalom