READING FOR OCTOBER 9, 2024: NUMBERS 19, ACTS 23, PSALM 105:37-45 NUMBERS 19 This a ceremony for purifying those who came in contact with a dead body. It is different in unusual details from other ceremonies. It is also specifically referenced in Hebrews 9. Let’s consider all of this and then proceed with caution about making any inferences.
A person who came in physical contact with a dead body, a human bone, a grave, or was in a tent with a dead body is unclean. That person needs to be sprinkled using a hyssop plant by a clean person on the third and seventh day with water that had been prepared by the priest. Also, on the seventh day the unclean person needs to bathe himself and wash his clothes so that he will be clean by that evening. If the unclean person is not cleansed, he is cut off from the community. The person who does the sprinkling also needs to wash his clothes.
The most complex part of this is making the water. God told Moses to have Eleazar, Aaron’s son, kill an unblemished red heifer outside the camp. (This is the only time the color of an animal is mentioned.) Eleazar then puts the heifer’s blood on his finger and sprinkles it seven times in the direction of the Tabernacle. The entire animal is burned along with cedarwood, hyssop, and scarlet yarn. Eleazar’s activities make him unclean until evening. Then another man gathers the ashes to save in a clean place for when needed to treat the cleansing water. Fresh running water is added to the treated water before it is applied to the unclean person.
Here is the reference to this process Hebrews 9:13-14: For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling those who have been defiled, sanctify for the cleansing of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
The Hebrews text suggests the dead body in Numbers equates to the dead works of the law that really could not effect change in the inner person. This process in Number was a copy or a picture of what Jesus would do when He became the perfect, once for all, sacrifice for sins for those who put their faith in Him: “Therefore it was necessary for the copies of the things in the heavens to be cleansed with these things, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. For Christ did not enter a holy place made by hands, a mere copy of the true one, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us... to those who eagerly await Him” (Heb. 9:23-24, 28). Although the cleansing process has changed, God’s holiness is the same and the consequence for disobedience is still separation from the Kingdom of God.
ACTS 23 Even though the high priest had Paul struck for no good reason, Paul apologize for speaking ill of him, saying he didn’t realize he was the high priest. He quoted Ex. 22:28: “You shall not curse God, nor curse a ruler of your people.” This writer has been convicted by this verse
READING FOR OCTOBER 9, 2024 CONTINUED: NUMBERS 19, ACTS 23, PSALM 105:37-45 after criticizing governmental leaders, although Paul’s statement was a bit pointed. Still, perhaps we should all take this verse to heart. In Jude 9 it says the archangel Michael even moderated his speech when disputing with Satan. No president is that bad.
What follows is the most cunning, almost Machiavellian (in a good way), defense possible. Paul was addressing the hostile Jewish leadership council, called the Sanhedrin. He knew that some members were Pharisees and others were Sadducees (known for their disbelief in the resurrection after death). Then, as a Pharisee himself, he truthfully allied himself with the Pharisees and said that he was on trial for in the believing in the resurrection, which also was true, although there was more involved of course. This shifted the hostility away from him and moved it to between these two Jewish sects. In fact, the Pharisees suddenly thought Paul wasn’t such a bad guy after all. The Lord seems to bless this good thinking because He encouraged Paul to keep testifying and get ready to do it in Rome. It’s OK to be clever.
Immediately God’s plan to move Paul to Rome begins when Paul gets wind of plot to kill him. With the help of many Roman soldiers, he is whisked off to Caesarea for an audience with Governor Felix. Felix decides to hear his case once Paul’s accusers arrive. Notice how decent the commander was to Paul. That’s also the case with Roman centurions elsewhere in the New Testament. They are models for anyone serving in the armed forces or in policing.
PSALM 105:37-45 It is interesting that every observation the Psalmist makes of the trip from Egypt to the promised land is positive: the departure from Egypt, the direction of the cloud and fire, the provision of quail and bread, the water flowing from the rock, the fulfilling of the promises made given to Abraham, and the lands of the various nation given to Israel allowing them to reap the fruit of other peoples’ labor. Having been inching through Exodus, Leviticus, and Numbers, we know that not every step of the way has been so rosy. Why might the Psalmist record only the positive events? Verse 1 stresses the purpose of this Psalm is to give thanks to God and make His known His deeds known among the people. The very last phrase of this Psalm shouts, “Praise the Lord.” In fact, verse 45 states the purpose of all these blessings of God and the purpose for the people entering the land was to keep God laws.God’s blessings made this all possible through His grace. The severe setbacks experienced by Israel were due to not keeping God’s law--not God’s fault. In fact, despite their disobedience, God still kept his covenant with Abraham, although not each individual entered the land. So too will the Lord come again as promised to take His people who believe in Him to heaven. The fact that unbelievers will not join Him is their/our choice--not God’s fault. He has given us far more blessings and support than Israel received in Psalm 105. He gave His only Son.
