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| At the Folk Art Center of the Southern Highlands Craft Guild - on the Blue Ridge Parkway between Mt. Celo Church and Asheville, NC |
How the Holy Spirit Led Me in Today's Study
Sanctity of Marriage and Defilement of the Marriage Bed - (Numbers 7) Each year that I study through the Bible I am still drawn to the large amount of Scripture - of commands from God - that deal with sexual purity - especially in marriage. This chapter is one of the hardest to understand from a human perspective in that only the adultery of a wife is discussed and in the drinking of a potion that will either curse her or prove her innocence - The Judaic Ritual of Sotah - Jealousy/Trial by Ordeal.
Reflection - The linked Judaic article concludes with some enlightenment from my perspective. Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch says "that the Sotah ordeal has less to do with determining her guilt or lack of guilt, and more to do with restoring the trust and peace between the husband and wife. So, if the wife died through the ordeal, the witness saw the gravity of breaking the bond between husband and wife. And if the wife survived the bitter waters, the witness likewise saw the seriousness with which the Torah treats an adulteress, even a suspected one." What does the New Covenant say? What does Jesus say? Jesus said, "What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate," Mark 10:9 also 1 Cor. 7: 10-11 and Heb. 13:4. Jesus said, "And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery," Matt.19:9. "The word in Greek for immorality is 'porneia' from which we get the word pornography. Sexual immorality, i.e., adultery, is a grounds for divorce according to Jesus." (See source below from CARM)
Seriousness of Consecration of One's Life to God - Numbers 8 - The man or woman (!) who takes a vow of consecration as a Nazarite has commandments to follow for purity and consequences of defilement.(v. 2) Under the New Covenant, if one commits his or her life to Christ, the price of discipleship is also costly. "Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself...take up his cross...follow Me...whoever desires to save his life will lose it...whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel's will save it...For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?...Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?...For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels." Mark 8: 31-38.
Lesson/Application - Am I boldly living out my life as a disciple of Christ in this world - in spite of / because of the circumstances? Do others see Christ in me?
Who do Men Say Jesus Is? / Who Do We Believe Jesus to Really Be? Mark 8: Most thought Jesus to be a prophet, maybe Elijah or John the Baptist resurrected. But Peter within a few short verses has his soul exposed before God. Here is THE key question for Peter and each of us. "But who do you say that I am? (v 29) Peter said, " You are the Christ." But...Peter could not accept the mission and passion of Christ - that he MUST...suffer many things...be rejected by the elders, priests and scribes...be killed...and after three days rise again. Peter rebuked Christ! Jesus's response: "Get behind Me, Satan! For you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of man."
Lesson/Application - Do I walk the talk? I claim to be a follower of Christ. Do I understand and live in accordance to ALL this implies - the sharing in His sufferings as well as the blessings I am promised under the New Covenant - both now and eternally. Am I mindful of the things of God or the things of man?
My Prayer for You and All Believers (Numbers 6:24-26)
"The LORD bless you and keep you; The LORD make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the LORD lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace."
Christian Apologetics and Research Ministry, "What Does the Bible Teach About Divorce?"
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