Verse for the Day, 13 April 2015.

Numbers 2:1-2, “The LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying,  (2)  "The people of Israel shall camp each by his own standard, with the banners of their fathers' houses. They shall camp facing the tent of meeting on every side.”

What is it that lies at the centre of your life? What is it that lies at the centre of our nation? Numbers 2 paints a beautiful picture for us, a picture that shows who was to be at the centre of every Israelite’s life and who was to be the centre of their nation. God, the glory of God, the presence of God, the worship of God, the service of God. God was the one they were to look towards constantly, their lives where to revolve around God.

What a daily encouragement it must have been for the Israelites, that as they stepped out of their tents every morning, the first sight to greet them was that of the tabernacle, and as they closed their tent for the evening, the last sight they saw was the tabernacle. They had the daily reminder that God was their centre, and that God was present with them, God was amongst them, God was their provider and their protector.

Firstly, this daily reminder was designed by God to help the people of Israel to understand the high and exalted position of God, He is the centre of everything. Secondly to teach them that they were always living in the face, in the presence, in the sight of a holy God, God was amongst them, He both saw and knew all that which they did. Thirdly this reminded the Israelites that God was to be the centre of their lives, of their nation and that there was to be nothing more valuable, precious or greater than their relationship with God, than having the presence of God amongst them. They were not to look to another, or to face, or walk in any direction than other towards God.

The key to Israel’s success as a nation depended much on how well they learned all these truths and upheld them in their individual lives and their national life. For as long as they faced God, had God as the centre, lived before the face of God and treasured Him above all things, their lives and nation would prosper, they would know the blessing of God. But when they turned away, when they face and worshipped another, when they disregarded God, it would be to their own peril and to the peril of their nation. What we are witnessing here is the manner in which God is seeking to forge, shape and mould this nation before they even enter into the Promised Land, He desires to have them already following an established way of life, rather than trying to figure it all out when they took possession of the land. God is graciously making, establishing a nation in such a way that if they follow the pattern they would radiate with the glory of God and come under His blessing.

The application for us immediate, for God desires the same for us, it is in fact the way in which God created us to be and to live. God and God alone was meant to be the centre point of our lives, we were created to live before Him, in His presence, enjoying His many rich blessings. It is our sin that has caused us to put other things or even ourselves at the centre. We live our lives before the face of the world, or those around us, we live as though we are the centre and that we are the most important ones. It is this selfishness, this removal of God from the centre point that has led to so much misery, sorrow, grief and distress in every area of life. By turning away from God, we have not turned to something better and more fulfilling, rather we have turned to something far lesser, far worse and that which takes more than it gives. Furthermore when we make ourselves the centre, every relationship we have suffers as we are consumed with ourselves, we think only of ourselves, and our wants, desires and needs become more important than that of others. This only multiplies the grief, distress, misery and sorrow.

But God in His grace has acted so as to enable us to restore Him back to the centre of our lives. He does this through the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ. For when we come to Christ in repentance and faith He reorients our lives, from being turned away from God, He turns us towards God. Think of the joy, life and fullness we felt at that moment!

Sadly that joy, life and fullness is short lived, as many Christians frequently turn away and live in selfishness. Living in this manner only produces guilt, sorrow and distress, and leads to the discipline of God. God desires for us to live our lives before Him and to know the many rich blessings that come to us when keep Him as the centre point. The challenge for us is to remind ourselves every day that we live before the presence and sight of a holy God, He is to be our centre, and who better to live our lives before and to look to at all times, in all things, for all things than God!

Who is the centre of your life? Who are you living your life in the sight of? Who are you constantly looking to and trusting in for all things?

Ever-present, all-seeing, all-knowing God, it is humbling for us to be reminded of the fact that You see all, know all and are ever present, that our lives are laid bare and open before You. But we thank You that You are not a cruel, evil, unkind God, who delights in our miseries. You are the God who created us to live for You, before Your presence, under Your blessing. We worship You as we remember that You did not just create us for this purpose, but You also acted in and through Christ so as to redeem us from that empty and selfish life, so that we could become what You desire us to be. We pray that You will help us to keep You as the centre point of our lives and that we will desire to only live for You. Amen.

Verse for the Day, 5 March 2015.

Numbers 1:1-4, “The LORD spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the tent of meeting, on the first day of the second month, in the second year after they had come out of the land of Egypt, saying,  (2)  "Take a census of all the congregation of the people of Israel, by clans, by fathers' houses, according to the number of names, every male, head by head.  (3)  From twenty years old and upward, all in Israel who are able to go to war, you and Aaron shall list them, company by company.  (4)  And there shall be with you a man from each tribe, each man being the head of the house of his fathers.”

Numbers 1:45-47, “So all those listed of the people of Israel, by their fathers' houses, from twenty years old and upward, every man able to go to war in Israel— (46)  all those listed were 603,550.  (47)  But the Levites were not listed along with them by their ancestral tribe.”

Numbers opens with the people of Israel still encamped at Mount Sinai, and it starts on a very encouraging note. Moses is instructed by God to take a census of all the men from the age of 20 upwards. The men from every tribe were to be counted, with the exception of the tribe of Levi.

Once the census has been taken we are told that there are 603,550 men. On first appearance this number may not seem significant, but if we were to add the number of women, all those below the age of 20 and the tribe of Levi, we would probably not be far off the 2 million mark!

Israel was a substantial nation of people, in fact such was their number that even the mighty Egyptians felt greatly threatened by them when they dwelt in Egypt.

But there is a greater significance to this chapter, and that is the reminder that God is faithful to His promises. Back in Genesis 12, when God first promises offspring to Abram, if we have told Abram then, that after several generation his offspring would amount to some 2 million people, it is unlikely that he would have believed us. Yet this is exactly what has happened, from one man has come a nation, a nation that is by no means small nor weak. Though its beginning may have been small, its growth has been great. When Israel entered into Egypt in the days of Joseph there was only some 70 people, but in 400 years those 70 have grown to 2 million. This growth is even more remarkable when we consider how the people of Israel were beaten, mistreated, enslaved and force into hard labour, and the order to kill all new born Israelite boys carried out ruthlessly. In spite of all this opposition and persecution, the nation grew in number and strength.

Throughout these years God’s hand had been upon this nation, protecting it, providing for it and prospering it. Though many of the Israelites may have felt abandoned by God, the growth and preservation of their nation was evidence that God was still with and for them. As they saw their nation grow, so they would have been reminded of the sovereignty, power and working of God.

For believers in Jesus Christ there is much encouragement in this passage. Like the people of Israel in Egypt, we can easily and quickly become despondent. There are times when it feels as though God has abandoned us, His promises, power, sovereignty and work appear to have failed, or have disappeared from us. The darkness of that trial hangs over us and we fear that there is no way forward, no way out. This passage encourages us to keep our eyes upon God, trusting Him to work in His way and in His time. We need to trust in God’s sovereign purposes and plans, even when they don’t make sense to us. Furthermore we must not make the mistake of believing that because we cannot feel God’s presence, or see God visibly at work, that He has then abandoned or forsaken us. God is faithful to every promise, even the promise to never leave, to never forsake His people. God is faithful to every promise, even the promise to work out all things for our greatest good and His highest glory. God is faithful and God is at work, in ways, means and places that we cannot see or know about, and at the right time we will see His purposes and works. We are called to trust God, to rest in His sovereignty and power, and to serve Him with joyful obedience.

Our great covenant-keeping, ever-faithful God, we praise and adore You today, for You are a good of truth, a God who fulfils all His promises and who works all things out in accordance to Your will. How we thank You today, that You are the one that holds our lives in the palm of Your hand. Thank You that You are constantly at work in our world and in our lives, working for our good and for Your glory. Help us to remember that You are a God who does not forsake His children, but remains with us in and through all situations, circumstances and trials, bringing us safely through them all. May we always look to You, find our strength in You, rest in Your sovereign power and control, and glorify Your name through our obedience. Amen.

Verse for the Day, 4 March 2015.

Leviticus 27:1-8, “The LORD spoke to Moses, saying,  (2)  "Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, If anyone makes a special vow to the LORD involving the valuation of persons,  (3)  then the valuation of a male from twenty years old up to sixty years old shall be fifty shekels of silver, according to the shekel of the sanctuary.  (4)  If the person is a female, the valuation shall be thirty shekels.  (5)  If the person is from five years old up to twenty years old, the valuation shall be for a male twenty shekels, and for a female ten shekels.  (6)  If the person is from a month old up to five years old, the valuation shall be for a male five shekels of silver, and for a female the valuation shall be three shekels of silver.  (7)  And if the person is sixty years old or over, then the valuation for a male shall be fifteen shekels, and for a female ten shekels.  (8)  And if someone is too poor to pay the valuation, then he shall be made to stand before the priest, and the priest shall value him; the priest shall value him according to what the vower can afford.”

The book of Leviticus ends in a rather obscure manner, in this final chapter we see commands given that deal with the redemption of vows, and those things that were promised to God in the taking of that vow.

The most alarming of the verses are the first eight, as it speaks of how people are to be redeemed. What then are we to make of these eight verses and then the chapter as a whole?

When it comes to passages in the Bible that we struggle to understand and interpret, we must allow the Bible to interpret the Bible. In other words we seek to find another portion of Scripture that either speaks to the same issue, or can help us to understand it. In regards to the first eight verses of this chapter, it is helpful for us to read 1 Samuel 1, giving particular attention to verse 11, “And she vowed a vow and said, "O LORD of hosts, if you will indeed look on the affliction of your servant and remember me and not forget your servant, but will give to your servant a son, then I will give him to the LORD all the days of his life, and no razor shall touch his head.”

Hannah is making the type of vow that is being spoken of in Leviticus 27. She is praying for a son, asking God to heal her barren womb and give to her the blessing of a son. In return for God’s favour and blessing, Hannah vows to then give that son to God, to serve God for the entirety of his life.

However, if after the birth of Samuel, Hannah wished to be set free from this vow, then she would follow the rules and commandments detailed in this chapter. She would have to bring Samuel to the priest, and depending on the age of Samuel, a calculation would be made and that amount would have to be paid into the temple treasury. Once the payment was made, Hannah would be set free from her vow, and Samuel would be able to remain with Hannah.

But there is more to this chapter than just providing commands on how vows can be redeemed. The question we need to ask is why are these commands given, and why are the amounts stated so high (50 shekels was equivalent to nearly five month’s pay in the days of Jesus)?

There are several reasons as to why these commands are given and the redemption amounts so high. Firstly, God does not want the people of Israel to enter into vows rashly and without thought. How often have we promised God that we would give or do something if He undertook in a certain way, yet after God has undertaken we fail to keep our promise? How many people in a state of panic, shock or fear, have pledged their lives to God if He should save and spare their lives, yet later forget this promise?

Secondly, God wants the Israelites to understand that the taking of vows, the making of promises to God is a very serious matter. It should not be entered into rashly or foolishly, nor should they be forsaken hastily. If we expect God to be faithful towards us in regards to all His promises, is it not then hypocritical of us to be unfaithful to God, breaking our vows or promises?

The giving of these commands and the high valuation for redemption are there to prevent foolish and rash vows, to ensure that the people of Israel think about what they are promising to God and why they are making this vow. They are given so that the Israelites might understand that when it comes to making promises and vows to God, it is something which God takes seriously and desires them to be faithful to them. Therefore they should also take it seriously, and enter into it with the express desire to be faithful to that promise and make every effort to remain faithful. God is a God of truth and faithfulness, every word He speaks is wise, true and good, and every promise He makes, He keeps faultlessly. The people of Israel are being called to be like God in this regard.

As believers in Jesus Christ, we can also be guilty of making rash and foolish statements, promises and vows. We fail to consider what we are saying to God, or the promise we are making. At certain times we may also fail to adequately discern our hearts, our attitude and motivation for making such promises. Are we making it in the hope of what we might receive, what we might stand to gain? Are we trying to manipulate God in the same manner that we manipulate each other, by making grand promises in order to get our way? It should always be our desire to be faithful towards God, we should want to serve Him with all of our lives and all that we have, not because of what we might gain in return, but simply as an expression of love, trust and worship.

Lord God, You are a God of truth and faithfulness. All Your words have proved to be trustworthy and true, You are faithful to all Your promises. We thank You today that You are so faithful to such unfaithful people. We pray and ask You to forgive us for the times that we have made rash or foolish promises, promises and vows motivated more by pride, envy, jealousy and greed, than by godliness. Help us to be people who are eager to be faithful to You in all that we do, and to trust You in all things, for all things, at all times. Amen.