Day 69: God Continues to Make a Way

Today we read Numbers 19-20, Deuteronomy 19-20, and Psalm 101. This is a story where we remember and see a specific application of atonement with sacrificial blood, a waiting period when a person is unclean, which is different from sinfulness, but rather a closeness with death, and the remedy is time and the bathing of water. We read about Miriam and Aaron’s death. We read about Moses and Aaron not having enough trust to honor God’s way in response to providing for the people of Israel. This results in both Moses and Aaron being kept from the promised land. Aaron’s successor is his son Eleazar. We are also reminded in this story of the distinction between war with the evil and dangerous Canaanites and other enemies. Moses tells of God’s kindness in making a way home for the soldiers who have new homes, new crops, a new wife, or are fainthearted and how this prevents a disheartening within the troops. The approach to this type of war is first an offer of peace, if not accepted war, death to the soldiers upon victory, and the integration of everyone and everything else into their own economy upon victory with a note of preservation to the trees. There is a separation of powers happening in this story where power is being decentralized with accountability happening through a process. The chiefs of tribes have elders who are being appointed as judges and there are priests and protestors of the priesthood. There is God who is first and central with specific details being offered on murder with intent vs accidental, the importance of more than one witness, thorough investigation of accusations, and a warning against false witness.

Resources:

Dr. Millar, Gary (2023) A Deuteronomy Commentary, The Gospel Coalition: https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/commentary/deuteronomy/

 

Adrian Reynolds (2023) A Numbers Commentary, The Gospel Coalition: https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/commentary/numbers/#section-14 

Credits:

Podcast music by Stockaudios from Pixabay. Speaker, Dr. Rachel Bodell. Podcast Sound Engineer, Alan Darling. Podcast Artwork, Will Gerard.