Nu 8: At the Car Wash

       The bulk of chapter 8 delineates the purification of the Levites. They are about to get started. All of Israel is to lay their hands upon the Levites. ALL of Israel.

       Those of you in Pentecostal/charismatic circles may recall the days of “The Renewal” or “The Toronto Blessing” in the 1990’s. We really got into the group version of “laying on of hands.” Somewhere in that time, and I think it was original with our pastor, we started doing the “car wash.” The prayer team lined up in two’s and the people walked through the line. The worship team would play as the congregation went through. The prayer team would pray in two’s over the individual, then send them to the next set of two. Some people would run all the way around to go through the car wash again. It was lots of fun yet equally profound.

       As I had a wireless mic on my violin, I sometimes would stand with the car wash and play over people as they went through. Other times I went through the car wash, playing my violin. That was cool, but a little bit dangerous (the bow has a pointy end and of my Hornsteiner is a bit fragile at 125+ years old). During the time when we were doing frequent car washes, I suggested to our music leader that we play “At the Car Wash” with just the instruments. That was probably a wee mite too secular. I was half-joking anyway.

       ---We interrupt this digression to get back to the point.---

       I was just reflecting how amazing a prayer service it must have been, thousands upon thousands of Israelites surrounding their brethren, praying and blessing them. Thousands upon thousands. I imagine it was a noisy, fun, scary, exciting, amazing, holy time. What I have been blessed to experience probably pales in comparison.

      

       Returning to the beginning of the chapter, verses 1-4 look like a small addendum, but since the original texts didn’t have chapter divisions like we do, I assume they attach to chapter 7, verse 89. Verse 89 is another gem. (As promised, I will try to point them out to you.) Looking at them together,

         Numbers 7:89 And when Moses was gone into the tabernacle of the congregation to speak with him, then he heard the voice of one speaking unto him from off the mercy seat that was upon the ark of testimony, from between the two cherubims: and he spake unto him.

       Moses goes into the tabernacle to speak with God. God had spoken to Moses via the burning bush, on Sinai and face to face (Exodus 33:11). Now the LORD speaks from the mercy seat atop the ark, between the cherubim. It is what He said He’d do.

         Ex 25:22 And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubims which are upon the ark of the testimony, of all things which I will give thee in commandment unto the children of Israel.

       The LORD would meet and commune with the high priest from the mercy seat. The mercy seat was atop the ark of the testimony (the law), between the witnessing cherubim (cherubim is plural for cherub), behind the veil, in the most holy place that could only be approached once a year through a cloud of incense (usually equivalent to prayer as in Revelation 8:4) and with the appropriate offering by the appropriate person. Selah.

       The LORD isn’t saying He’ll never speak in another way. He is, however, promising to meet and commune there. In the future, after Moses and Aaron are long gone, God still wants to meet and commune. This is one place and situation where it will happen.

       Meet [dey ya`ad] is a primitive root meaning to meet, gather, assemble. It seems to have a sense of certainty, as it is sometimes translated as “appointed,” “set” and even “betrothed.”

       Commune [rbd dabar] is another primitive root. It means to speak, declare, converse, commune. I was hoping to find some intense meaning to the word. Nope.

       In 7:89, Moses and the LORD speak [rbd dabar]. The LORD still tells Moses what to tell Aaron. I infer that Aaron is nearby but perhaps out of range? I don’t know if it was an audible or internal voice the LORD used.

       He says to have the lamps give light around the candlestick [hrwnm m@nowrah – yes, menorah. I thought you’d like that]. I’m not sure if this is some spiritual symbol or just plain practical. Remember, no daylight enters the tabernacle. The only light is from the lamps and perhaps from God Himself. Moses had good eyesight (Deuteronomy 34:7), but maybe not all the priests would.

Blessings,

exodus15