And the LORD said to Moses, “Put back the staff of Aaron before the testimony, to be kept as a sign for the rebels, that you may make an end of their grumblings against me, lest they die.”

Numbers 17:1-13

And the LORD said to Moses, “Put back the staff of Aaron before the testimony, to be kept as a sign for the rebels, that you may make an end of their grumblings against me, lest they die.” Numbers 17:10

I continue my study of Numbers, and in the text today - Numbers 17:1-13 - we see God's instructions to Moses to give to the people to settle the matter of Aaron's priesthood.  Here are my observations using the Sword Bible Study Method.

• What do we learn from the text about God?: God clearly communicates through both symbols and actions His message.  In this case, He uses the symbol of staffs or rods which in the Old Testament represented authority and power.  V5 is where the LORD shares "the staff of the man whom I choose shall sprout," and from that point forward the people will cease their grumbling against authority from Aaron.  Vv8 and 10 make it clear that because Aaron's staff sprouted, it will be preserved as a sign to end further rebellions.    
• What do we learn from the text about people?: Such a sign or any physical sign from God should cause one to be in reverent fear of God's power, as we should acknowledge that the entire universe is controlled by Him (Colossians 1:16-17), including all authorities.  Thus it is not surprising to see the people's reaction in vv12-13 of fear - yet it is unclear at this point that this causes repentant fear.  Repentant fear is what God seeks, and John Piper refers to this as "fear as preservative" such that we fear angering or disappointing God, so we avoid sin.   
• Is there anything from the text God wants us to obey (SPEC: Sins to avoid, Promises to claim, Examples to follow, Commands to obey?): Avoid rebellion against God's appointed leaders, including both church leaders and civil authorities. Claim the promise that God reigns over all details including authority He places above us.  Follow the example of Christ who rendered to Caesar what is Caesar's and to God what is God's (see also Romans 13:1-7).  Submit to God's appointed leaders. 

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My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome God that works in all things for good - including leaders in my church and civil authorities.  Thank You for how Your design is perfect.  I am not deserving of how You work and bless me.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please continue to heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Were you a bondservant when called? Do not be concerned about it. (But if you can gain your freedom, avail yourself of the opportunity.) For he who was called in the Lord as a bondservant is a freedman of the Lord. Likewise he who was free when called is a bondservant of Christ. You were bought with a price; do not become bondservants of men.

1 Corinthians 7

Were you a bondservant when called? Do not be concerned about it. (But if you can gain your freedom, avail yourself of the opportunity.) For he who was called in the Lord as a bondservant is a freedman of the Lord. Likewise he who was free when called is a bondservant of Christ. You were bought with a price; do not become bondservants of men. 1 Corinthians 7:21-23

I continue my study looking at the life of Paul using John Piper's 30 Reasons Why I Love the Apostle Paul.  Today, I move to chapter nineteen - Showing the Truth of Christian Freedom, but Not in a Simplistic Way.  Here, John Piper helps us see how, through the life and writings of Paul, we can navigate the complexities of life specifically in the area of submission to earthly authorities as we balance this submission with the freedom we have in Christ.  Piper first starts by pointing to Paul's words from Colossians 3:1-3 and Philippians 3:20-21 where Paul describes how believers are citizens of Heaven.  Piper then moves to Paul's words in Romans 13:1 and Ephesians 6:5-7 where - even though we are citizens of Heaven - we are to obey earthly authorities placed above us by God.   Piper then describes how Paul helps us resolve the inevitable tension that results when obedience to God and earthly authorities conflict: obedience to God is the priority.  We are referred to 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, 7:21-23, and Acts 20:28 as the scriptural basis for this guidance.  Piper then looks at how Paul's description of Christian freedom extends beyond earthly authorities to freedom from the law (OT), pointing to Galatians 5:1-3 and Romans 5:8-9, 19, and 8:3 as examples where Paul's words help us.  Piper then wraps the chapter by summarizing our freedom: "[s]o we are free from God’s law and free from the world’s institutions— even those ordained by God (e.g., state, business, home). Christ owns us and we are his.  He is our absolute commander and protector. If he calls us to submit to any law or any institution, we do it. Not because the institution is absolute. And not because law-keeping makes us right with God. We do it because we believe Christ knows the way of love better than we do.*"

*John Piper. 30 Reasons Why I Love the Apostle Paul

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are SO good as You give me true freedom in Christ - thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of the joy and blessings that come from freedom found in You.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, or he is God's servant for your good.

Romans 12-13

Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, for he is God's servant for your good. Romans 13:3-4

 

This afternoon, I continued my study of Romans.  Using my commentary - Exalting Jesus in Romans (eBook) - I started chapter sixteen Living in View of That Day, which covers Romans 12:17-13:14.  My focus today is v13:1-7, which my commentary refers to under the heading "Look at the State Rightly." In these verses, Paul pivots from chapter 12 (see post yesterday), where he implores us to not retaliate against those who persecute us and cause us harm. He ends with a command to "overcome evil with good." In 13:1-7 the focus is on doing good in the context of governing authorities (v13:1). We are to recognize that governing authorities are authorities placed in our lives by God - v13:1-2 (see also Colossians 1:17).  We should not fear authorities in our mission to do good (v13:3-4) but we should fear authorities when we sin - and we should fear God as well on this count (v13:4-5). Paul uses an example of this how we are to pay taxes to government, to pay respect, and to honor authorities (v13:6-7).

My commentary describes how God placed authorities in our lives to "carry out judgement in the present age."  It is also described as not popular among many as starting with Adam and Eve we are rebellious. In the United States, dissent is a form of expression of freedom of speech. We are reminded that Paul wrote this during Nero's reign in Rome and his intent was to avoid fighting or ignoring Roman rule in light of Christ's Heavenly rule.  Yes, Jesus reigns, but He also places rulers above us.  We are however to submit/obey only to the extent that these rulers do not push us to sin as we are to "obey God rather than people" (Acts 5:29). Regardless of whether earthly rule is pleasant or painful it is by God's design and He has "His purposes."  Praying for our leaders is encouraged. Even in the face of challenging political times (i.e. persecution), there are no fewer needs to serve - do good.

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God who loves me and who is good to me - all the time!  I am blessed to live in the USA where it is not oppressive as it is elsewhere - thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of this blessing as my sin continues...daily.  Worry, lack of leadership, etc. Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

“Do not be afraid of the Babylonian officials,” he said. “Settle down in the land and serve the king of Babylon, and it will go well with you.”

2 Kings 25

“Do not be afraid of the Babylonian officials,” he said. “Settle down in the land and serve the king of Babylon, and it will go well with you.” v24

Not everyone in Judah went into captivity (v12) and Gedaliah was appointed to rule over those left behind.  Yet Gedaliah was swiftly assassinated (v25).

This is a reminder for us all that while we are to respect earthly authorities placed above us, we should not trust in them above God.  Gedaliah was not in a position to make such a statement that "it will go well with you". 

It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in humans. It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in princes. Psalm 118:8-9

 

See also additional posts on this topic.

 

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are in control and You are worthy of my reverent fear and love.  You are full of grace and compassion and I have experienced Your love in overwhelming abundance.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not worth such love as I worry and I am harsh with my words and actions. Please forgive me and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

So all the men of Israel deserted David to follow Sheba son of Bikri.

2 Samuel 20

So all the men of Israel deserted David to follow Sheba son of Bikri. v2

The circumstances here mirror what has been going on here in the United States - for nearly 20 years people in the U.S. have felt strongly that their elected leaders don't represent them and we are increasingly a polarized nation.  My own view is that God is in control - that He places our leaders above us and that unless these leaders ask us to rebel against God, we should submit to these leaders. 

The Israelites here don't want to follow David, who has returned to Jerusalem.

We may not like what is going on in the world - yet we must remember that it is God who is in control.

For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. Colossians 1:16-17

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God who is in control over the heavens and the earth and You are slow to anger and abounding in love.  You love me, despite my sin.  Thank You Jesus.  I am not worth such love.  I worry and am impatient.  Please forgive me Jesus. Help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind.  Help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because,“God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.” Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.

1 Peter 5

All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because,“God opposes the proud
but shows favor to the humble.” Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. v5-6

Peter reminds us to be humble within the church.  We must submit to our church elders and among fellow members of the church.  We must allow Jesus to work through us and we must not grumble and complain.

I have previously posted about this here in 1 Timothy 5.

Similar teachings are also found in Hebrews 13, Romans 13, and 1 Timothy 6. 

Too often I want to make things about me, and not about Him.  Lord Jesus, help me remain humble not just within my church, but also in my roles as a father, husband, and employee.

My Prayer: You are a great God creator of all things and able of anything.  You don't need me but You suffered and died for me, choosing me as Your adopted son.  Thank You Jesus for coming to rescue me.  I am not worth such love because of my arrogance and other sins.  Please forgive me and help me overcome such sin and turn towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.