Numbers Chps 28 to 30
Having been raised Jewish, these chapters remind me of why I never really developed a relationship with the God of the Old Testament. The God of the Old Testament is a God that requires so much doing. Because I was the youngest, I would always have to read the "four questions" on Passover and I hated that holiday also because we could not eat any leavened bread. While I now see the wisdom of spiritual disciplines such as fasting, it is in the context of my New Testament God.
For example, here in Matthew, contrast Christ's response to the Jews that scolded the disciples for "working" on the Sabbath. The focus is on following Christ - you don't want to work to exclude corporate worship but you should extend a hand to help others on the Sabbath.
1At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry and began to pick some heads of grain and eat them. 2When the Pharisees saw this, they said to him, "Look! Your disciples are doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath."
3He answered, "Haven't you read what David did when he and his companions were hungry? 4He entered the house of God, and he and his companions ate the consecrated bread—which was not lawful for them to do, but only for the priests. 5Or haven't you read in the Law that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple desecrate the day and yet are innocent? 6I tell you that one greater than the temple is here. 7If you had known what these words mean, 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice,' you would not have condemned the innocent. 8For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath."
9Going on from that place, he went into their synagogue, 10and a man with a shriveled hand was there. Looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, they asked him, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath
11He said to them, "If any of you has a sheep and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will you not take hold of it and lift it out? 12How much more valuable is a man than a sheep! Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath." (Matthew 12:1-12)
3He answered, "Haven't you read what David did when he and his companions were hungry? 4He entered the house of God, and he and his companions ate the consecrated bread—which was not lawful for them to do, but only for the priests. 5Or haven't you read in the Law that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple desecrate the day and yet are innocent? 6I tell you that one greater than the temple is here. 7If you had known what these words mean, 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice,' you would not have condemned the innocent. 8For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath."
9Going on from that place, he went into their synagogue, 10and a man with a shriveled hand was there. Looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, they asked him, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath
11He said to them, "If any of you has a sheep and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will you not take hold of it and lift it out? 12How much more valuable is a man than a sheep! Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath." (Matthew 12:1-12)
My Prayer: Lord, thank you for liberating me from the rituals of the Old Testament and giving me new freedom and rebirth through you - Christ the Lord! Forgive me that I continue to lack in depth and focus on my relationship with you. Please help me with this. Help me study, pray, serve, and fall deeper in love with you.
