Nu 20 part 2: swimming to Hawaii - a word study

‘aman and qadash

       10 And Moses and Aaron gathered the congregation together before the rock, and he said unto them, Hear now, ye rebels; must we fetch you water out of this rock? 11 And Moses lifted up his hand, and with his rod he smote the rock twice: and the water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their beasts also.

       The LORD instructed Moses to speak to the rock; Moses strikes it. Twice.

       The people, if they were still alive from the time of Exodus 17, would recall that Moses struck a rock once before, with water resulting. To them, therefore, it is no big deal that Moses should strike the rock; they had no idea that Moses was sinning.

       {That first place, in Exodus 17, is called Massah, “temptation,” and also Meribah, “strife/contention.” The first Meribah is near Rephidim before Sinai. The second is this one in Kadesh Barnea.}

       10 And Moses and Aaron gathered the congregation together before the rock, and he said unto them, Hear [emv shama`] now, ye rebels [hrm marah]; must we fetch you water out of this rock?

       I have heard speakers note Moses says “we,” not God. Exactly. Even the NIV and Message bibles use that pronoun.

       12 And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron, Because ye believed [Nma 'aman] me not, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them.

       Moses and Aaron didn’t believe God. What didn’t they believe? Didn’t they believe water would come forth at their word? Or did they lack belief in something greater?

       ‘Aman is a word with layers of meaning. It is most often translated as “believe” or “faithful.” It’s not a half hearted belief or hopeful/wishful belief. It means to support, confirm, be faithful. Depending upon the verb form, it has the sense of:

• ·     supporting, nourishing (foster parent, a nurse, pillars, door supports)
• ·     being established, faithful, carried, made firm (be carried by a nurse, reliable, faithful, trustworthy)
• ·     standing firm, trusting, being certain, believing in    

       Moses and Aaron didn’t ‘aman the LORD and didn’t sanctify [vdq qadash] Him in the eyes of the children of Israel. By now, Aaron and Moses experientially should have known the LORD to be faithful, reliable and nurturing. Somehow, the situation pushed Moses (and Aaron) over the edge and they sinned.

       Qadash reminded me of Leviticus 10:3, when Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu offered strange fire and died.

         Le 10:3 Then Moses said unto Aaron, This is it that the LORD spake, saying, I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me, and before all the people I will be glorified. And Aaron held his peace.

       Thinking about the circumstances in both Leviticus 10 and Numbers 20, to ignore emotions and qadash the LORD sounds harsh. Maybe it is.

       I’m trying to wrap my brain around qadash-ing the LORD. Can any of us really qadash Him in the way his holiness requires?

       Can any of us swim from LA to Hawaii? If Michael Phelps can’t do it, how can any of us?

       Selah.

       I can’t leave you (or myself) despairing. I also don’t want to give a flippant answer. This isn’t the time to say, “Jesus is the answer, sister, just belieeeeeve!”

       For those generations and generations of believers before Christ, what hope could there have been for those dear people who loved God? How could they qadash the LORD in spite of circumstance?

       I think part of the answer is in the very same verse.

       12 And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron, Because ye believed me not, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them.

       It is the belief that enables the sanctification. This is how Judeo Christian faith differs from so many religions. You don’t do the holiness first. The holiness comes out of the faith.

       But from where does faith come? Romans 10:17 says:

17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

       Admittedly, this is only the briefest of introductions to faith, obedience and sanctifying the LORD before others. I pray it will tantalize you into further study and hopefully into knowing the LORD as faithful, reliable and nurturing.

       Selah.

Nu 20: Meribah part 1

Numbers 19:

·     The water of purification

·     Infection control regarding someone who has died

Numbers 20:

·     Miriam dies

·     The waters of Meribah and the big time screw up

·     Edom refuses passage

·     Aaron dies

       So much has already been written about the events at the waters of Meribah that I wanted to take some time to think about what I’d write. There are two things I have never heard or read.

       First, Aaron is punished along with Moses (I’ve only heard/read about Moses’ punishment). Second, I have never heard or read of anyone connecting Miriam’s death with the events.

       In the first month (the month to celebrate Passover), the congregation comes to the wilderness of Zin (= “flat”). They yashab in Kadesh (= “holy”). Miriam dies (muwth) there and is buried there.

       In the very next verse, (although we aren’t told how long this is, we can surmise it only took as long as needed to deplete their stores of water), the congregation gathers against Moses and Aaron.

       2 And there was no water for the congregation: and they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron. 3 And the people chode [byr riyb] with Moses, and spake, saying, Would God that we had died [ewg gava`] when our brethren died [ewg gava`] before the LORD! 4 And why have ye brought up the congregation of the LORD into this wilderness, that we and our cattle should die [twm muwth] there? 5 And wherefore have ye made us to come up out of Egypt, to bring us in unto this evil place? it is no place of seed, or of figs, or of vines, or of pomegranates; neither is there any water to drink.

                Some Americans use the acronym SSDD: Same Stuff, Different Day. Once again, the congregation wishes they were dead, once again they accuse Moses and Aaron of lying to them. Once again, they selectively remember.

       Moses and Aaron leave the paniym (remember that word?) of the assembly [lhq qahal]. Qahal means congregation or convocation or assembly (for war or invasion, or for religious purposes). They fall on their faces before the LORD. The kabod appears.

       The LORD speaks to Moses (while Aaron is there).

       8 Take the rod, and gather thou the assembly together, thou, and Aaron thy brother, and speak ye unto the rock before their eyes; and it shall give forth his water, and thou shalt bring forth to them water out of the rock: so thou shalt give the congregation and their beasts drink.

 9 And Moses took the rod from before the LORD, as he commanded him.

       Since Moses took the rod from before the LORD, it must have been Aaron’s rod, the one that budded, signifying Aaron's authority given him from the LORD. They gather the crowd before the rock [elo cela`].

       To supply the crowd, it was probably a big rock. Cela` comes from an unused root “to be lofty.” It can also mean crag, cliff or stronghold. Big rock.

       This is where their obedience stops.

       [Now, before you condemn Moses and Aaron, saying, “I would have obeyed God,” I challenge you to remember verse 1. I know the pain of losing a sibling. I know my frame of mind at the time. Grief can overwhelm someone into making choices out of emotion, out of fear and anger and sadness. I barely made it through that semester of school. I barely made it, period. I thank God for the people that loved me through it.]

       The LORD instructed them to speak to the cela`. Jumping forward, the psalmist Asaph tells more of this story, from God’s point of view. (As an aside, Asaph’s psalms really touch my heart; he’s another person I would like to meet in heaven!)

       7 Thou calledst in trouble, and I delivered thee; I answered thee in the secret place of thunder: I proved thee at the waters of Meribah. Selah.

–and–

         16 He should have fed them also with the finest of the wheat: and with honey out of the rock should I have satisfied thee.

       God’s intent is to over-deliver. The people wanted water, but God had something sweeter in mind. The LORD wanted to ebs saba` them (stuff them!) with sweetness. Heavenly “food coma.”

       It was an amazing miracle that water to feed the multitudes came out of the rock. But had Moses and Aaron obeyed, who knows what amazing goodness might have poured forth?

Nu 18: 3 words for death, membership has its privileges

       In the end of chapter 17, Aaron’s rod has budded. The leaders take their own rods. Moses per the LORD’s command, puts the rod before the testimony, to be kept there. This is to stop the murmurings so the people will not die.

       The children of Israel respond to Moses:

       12 And the children of Israel spake unto Moses, saying, Behold, we die [ewg gava`], we perish [dba 'abad], we all perish [dba 'abad]. 13 Whosoever cometh any thing near unto the tabernacle of the LORD shall die [twm muwth]: shall we be consumed with dying [ewg gava`]?

         Gava` means to die, give up the ghost, be dead. 'Abad has a slightly different meaning: to perish, vanish, go astray, be destroyed, be lost; to destroy, kill, cause to perish, exterminate, blot out; used in divine judgment to destroy, put to death. Muwth’s meaning is somewhere between the other words, with a hint of prematurely dying thrown in.

       In 18, note something new. The LORD answers them by speaking to Aaron. He delineates the roles of the sons of Levi once more, but don’t miss the new details.

       3b only they shall not come nigh the vessels of the sanctuary and the altar, that neither they, nor ye also, die [muwth].

         Aaron is also at risk for disobedience.

       6 And I, behold, I have taken your brethren the Levites from among the children of Israel: to you they are given [Ntn nathan] as a gift [hntm mattanah] for the LORD, to do the service of the tabernacle of the congregation.

       The Levites alone are nathan’d to the LORD as a mattanah.

       12 All the best of the oil, and all the best of the wine, and of the wheat, the firstfruits of them which they shall offer unto the LORD, them have I given thee.

       This is a principle that in modern day, we do well to consider for our own pastors. Sure, “membership has its privileges,” but to handle the responsibility of being a pastor or priest? It’s a heavy undertaking. If your pastor asks for a raise, please be compassionate. Unless your pastor is in flagrant sin, give him/her a raise!

       Remember the sobering warning in James:

       Jas 3:1 My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation.

       In other words, God holds them to a higher scrutiny. Selah.

      

       20 And the LORD spake unto Aaron, Thou shalt have no inheritance in their land, neither shalt thou have any part among them: I am thy part and thine inheritance among the children of Israel.

       The Levites are called to an interesting and difficult position of duty and faith. They don’t have land for their inheritance; they have the LORD. They will, however, have the offerings and the tithes given by the congregation.

       The gem in verse 20 is that the LORD decrees that He will be their portion and their inheritance. Selah.

Aaron's Rod: God Over-Delivers

Twelve tribes,

Twelve rods,

Twelve princes,

A name on every rod.

Finally, we shall see

the chosen one of God.

O that murmurings should cease

and we at last will find God’s peace.

(mrfb 4/14/12)

       The LORD will show all Israel the one he chooses to minister before Him. Each leader of the tribes will write his name on a rod and lay it before the `eduwth (testimony) in the tabernacle. The rod that blossoms represents the man the LORD chooses.

       It’s speculation, but I wonder if any of the princes ran out and cut down a sapling with the hopes that his would sprout. Maybe they took their walking staffs. It doesn’t matter, except maybe for the movie screen.

       If you have ever watched Star Trek, how often does Scotty (James Doohan; I met him once!) under-promise but over-deliver?

       “Cap’n, it’ll take me thrrrrrree hours ta link the warrrp drrrive to the phaser plasma rrregulatorr!”

       "Scotty, we don't have three hours!"

       "Ya cannah change the laws of physics, Cap'n!"

       But always, just in time, Scotty pulls it off.

       The God I know may not under-promise, but He certainly over-delivers.

       One rod shall blossom [xrp parach], or bud, sprout, shoot, bloom. By this, the LORD will make the murmurings [hnwlt t@luwnah] cease [Kkv shakak].

         Moses lays the rods before the LORD. The next morning, he finds the rods.

       Aaron’s rod budded [xrp parach]. It didn’t only bud, but it brought forth buds [auy yatsa'], bloomed blossoms [Uwu tsuwts] [yu tsiyts] and yielded almonds [lmg gamal] [dqv shaqed]!

       God over-delivers. Beyond any question, Aaron is the one the LORD has chosen to minister before him.

       As an aside, the word for “almond” is important later in scripture. It is part of the vision and play on words that God gives to Jeremiah.

       I myself will have to keep reading to see if this conclusive proof does actually convince Israel of the priestly authority. If any of you readers know the answer, please add a comment!

       Until next time, shalom.

Nu 16: Stop the Plague!

       The next day, the congregation murmurs against Moses and Aaron, blaming them for the deaths. Are the people about to stone Moses and Aaron again? Beat them? Have they cornered the brothers against the tabernacle?

       When suddenly, they all look toward the tabernacle: the cloud covers it and the kabod of the LORD appears.

       By now, you’d think the congregation will have learned:

Cloud + kabod = Run away!

       If the mob have restrained Moses and Aaron, they must have let go, for Moses and Aaron come before the tabernacle. Compare verse 21 with 45.

       21 Separate yourselves from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment.

and

       45 Get you up from among this congregation, that I may consume them as in a moment. And they fell upon their faces.

         People start dropping like flies. It seems that simultaneously, Moses both knows what is happening and knows what to do. 

            46 And Moses said unto Aaron, Take a censer, and put fire therein from off the altar, and put on incense, and go quickly unto the congregation, and make an atonement for them: for there is wrath gone out from the LORD; the plague is begun.

            47 And Aaron took as Moses commanded, and ran into the midst of the congregation; and, behold, the plague was begun among the people: and he put on incense, and made an atonement for the people.

       Here comes one of my favorite verses. I once used it in a sermon called, “Can One Change the Mind of God?” Moses seems to have changed the mind of God before. In desperation, Moses and Aaron attempt to change the mind of God once more.

       Aaron runs into the midst of the congregation. What happens next rocked my world.

         48 And he stood between the dead and the living; and the plague was stayed.

       14,700 died that day. If Aaron hadn’t run, how many more would have died? Can you picture the corpses on one side and terrified people on the other?

       When I was a teenager, I visited Gettysburg. Every American should see it. The rows and rows of markers as far as I could see left me profoundly numb and speechless. When I think of it now, I still feel the memory of the huge hole it left in me. 

        May the likes of it will never happen again.

       According to the National Park Service, there are ~1328 grave markers in the Gettysburg National Cemetery. Normandy has 9000+ grave markers.

       Here stands Aaron, with fourteen thousand dead on one side, over ten times the number of graves in Gettysburg. On his other side are all the rest of the children of Israel. 

                  50 And Aaron returned unto Moses unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: and the plague was stayed.

       May the likes of it never happen again.

Nu 16: Korah's disastrous rebellion

       Korah, Dathan, Abiram and On rebel not only against Moses but against God. In Numbers 16:12-14, Moses calls Dathan and Abiram, but they say they won’t come. They creatively remember (or forget) their life in Egypt. They have gone from happily fantasizing about eating leeks and garlic to creatively remembering feasting on milk and honey.

         13 Is it a small thing that thou hast brought us up out of a land that floweth with milk and honey, to kill us in the wilderness, except thou make thyself altogether a prince over us? 14 Moreover thou hast not brought us into a land that floweth with milk and honey, or given us inheritance of fields and vineyards: wilt thou put out the eyes of these men? we will not come up.

       I don’t know which men’s eyes Dathan and Abiram mean: Korah’s, the Israelites or the Canaanites. It doesn’t really matter. They’re talking trash, looking for a fight.

       They succeed. Moses was very wroth [dam m@`od] + [hrx charah]. We have seen the charah of both Moses and the LORD in previous chapters. This time, it’s m@`od, an exceeding charah. He says to the LORD in 15:

       Respect not thou their offering: I have not taken one ass from them, neither have I hurt one of them.

       Notice that although Moses is angry, all he prays is that the LORD to not respect [hnp panah] their offering. Panah is to turn and look at, or to turn and look away. I don’t know whether there is some hidden meaning in panah; but Moses has certainly seen what has happened before when the LORD has moved away from someone. Could what might happen (if the LORD disregarded their offerings) be just as bad?

       Think of the rest of the chapter as an action movie, a crazy, seemingly pointless and epic disaster.

         18 And they took every man his censer, and put fire in them, and laid incense thereon, and stood in the door of the tabernacle of the congregation with Moses and Aaron. 19 And Korah gathered all the congregation against them unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: and the glory of the LORD appeared unto all the congregation.

          20 And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, 21 Separate yourselves from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment.

          22 And they fell upon their faces, and said, O God, the God of the spirits of all flesh, shall one man sin, and wilt thou be wroth with all the congregation?

         23 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 24 Speak unto the congregation, saying, Get you up from about the tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram.

         25 And Moses rose up and went unto Dathan and Abiram; and the elders of Israel followed him. 26 And he spake unto the congregation, saying, Depart, I pray you, from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs, lest ye be consumed in all their sins.

         27 So they gat up from the tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, on every side: and Dathan and Abiram came out, and stood in the door of their tents, and their wives, and their sons, and their little children.

         28 And Moses said, Hereby ye shall know that the LORD hath sent me to do all these works; for I have not done them of mine own mind. 29 If these men die the common death of all men, or if they be visited after the visitation of all men; then the LORD hath not sent me. 30 But if the LORD make a new thing, and the earth open her mouth, and swallow them up, with all that appertain unto them, and they go down quick into the pit; then ye shall understand that these men have provoked the LORD.

         31 And it came to pass, as he had made an end of speaking all these words, that the ground clave asunder that was under them: 32 And the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their houses, and all the men that appertained unto Korah, and all their goods. 33 They, and all that appertained to them, went down alive into the pit, and the earth closed upon them: and they perished from among the congregation.

         34 And all Israel that were round about them fled at the cry of them: for they said, Lest the earth swallow us up also.

         35 And there came out a fire from the LORD, and consumed the two hundred and fifty men that offered incense.

       Verses 36-40 are a footnote to the action, but do show something important. The motivation of those men who died was wrong, but the offering and the vessels bearing it were hallowed [vdq qadash]. The fire is scattered and the censers will be made into a covering for the altar. It is to be a reminder that no stranger should come near to offer incense the way Korah did.

       It would appear that the issue is over. Or is it?

A brief muse on nursing home surveys

State survey day 2 is over. Hopefully only one more day. Why do we put up with the paperwork, the scrutiny? Because we are doing a good thing. We are taking care of the sick and elderly who can't take care of themselves. We build relationships, rebuild bodies, we send people home. And when we can't, we ease them into another chapter of their lives. We're nursing home staff. It's what we do, and maybe it's a little bit of who we are.

Nu 16: prelude to a plague

         16:1 Now Korah, the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, and Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On, the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took men: 2 And they rose up before Moses, with certain of the children of Israel, two hundred and fifty princes of the assembly, famous in the congregation, men of renown: 3 And they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron, and said unto them, Ye take too much upon you, seeing all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the LORD is among them: wherefore then lift ye up yourselves above the congregation of the LORD?

       Korah was the grandson of Kohath. The Kohathites were assigned specific duties around the tabernacle (Numbers 4). From what Moses says in response, Korah and his followers weren’t content with their role as Levites (caring for the tabernacle articles); they wanted the priesthood also. Moses stands up for Aaron: what is Korah’s problem with Aaron?

       The rebellion grows to 250 leaders in the congregation. Dathan and Abiram are Reubenites. (On is a Reubenite. He is only mentioned in this verse in the whole bible.) It appears that they have a separate but simultaneous quarrel with Moses.

            4 And when Moses heard it, he fell upon his face:

       What does it take you to fall upon your face? Granted, this may be a common display in certain cultures. It’s not common in the US, at least not in Vermont.

       I found the phrase “fell upon” and “face” and its derivatives ~29 times in the Bible. In each case, profound emotional circumstances surround it. It shows worship, awe, horror, humility, wonder or extreme gratitude. In verse 4 above, it seems that Moses' display is a mix of horror and fear for what is likely to come.

       Moses fell on his face more than once. I linger on this thought because one of my desires in “opening the Old Testament” is for you to see these characters as real people with passions and foibles very like our own.

       I truly believe Moses loved these people. Like crazy. How often has he interceded for them? He once killed a man for the injustice he perceived (Exodus 2). He gave up a promise of an amazing heritage in order to talk God out of destroying Israel. Even when pushed to the brink of suicide, Moses pulls it together to continue to lead.

       Misunderstood and maligned, slandered and accused, Moses nevertheless does everything he can to guide and protect the children of Israel from stupidity in its many forms.

       I don’t wish to wax political in a bible study, but here is one thing for certain: when I see a would-be leader, if that man or woman has this kind of heart for a nation, that person will definitely draw my consideration. May our loving God raise up those kind of men and women in our lifetimes.

favor

I'm just marveling at the favor of God.

Nu 14-15: Frustration

       News flash: Miriam has an opportunity to practice what she preaches.

       Over the last week or so, I have been questioning whether my Bible blogs are merely intellectual exercises. Have I grown spiritually as a result? Have I helped my readers any? Sure, it’s a good discipline to do this, but what’s the fruit?

       What do you know? I got my own opportunity to grow up a little more. In a way it is humorous because of my previous post. No, I hadn’t sinned. I did, however, have great opportunity to get all frustrated, which could have led to sin.

       Frustration is a funny sensation. You want something, but you don’t get it. You get angry, but you know you’re not supposed to be angry. Frustration invites Fear to come party with it. The Tempter starts baiting you with “this always happens to you” and “you’ll never get what you want” and “you should take matters into your own hands.” Unchecked, even hatred can waltz into your heart through the door of frustration.

       Wait a minute. Wasn’t that what the Israelites’ thinking ever since they left Egypt?

       As I pondered my state, I found the irony of my Numbers commentary juxtaposed with frustration rather funny. The more amusing it grew, the more polarizing the Enemy’s injected thoughts grew.

       I recognized what was happening. I repented and asked God to please help me through the frustration and to help me trust Him for His solution. The LORD hasn’t brought me this far in life to slam a door shut in my face. I’ve learned a lot about waiting in faith. I’m getting so good at waiting, I hope I don’t miss the opportunity when it comes. Maybe we’ll see a solution for that in Numbers or Deuteronomy. No worries.

       If any of you dear readers are struggling with frustration, think of what the psalmist says:

       Psalm 131:2 Surely I have behaved and quieted myself, as a child that is weaned of his mother: my soul is even as a weaned child.

       I don’t know about your experience with weaning, but I remember trying to help a child graduate from the bottle. Talk about frustration, for both of us. You think it’ll never end. Then, finally, success and calm and pride.

       In a way, I got weaned today. When I booted out Frustration, the Fear and Anger shriveled up. Thank God that Hatred couldn’t waltz in. No doorway, no legal territory.

       I have spent several days discussing Numbers 14. Know what the next chapter, Numbers 15, says?

       15:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

         2 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come into the land of your habitations, which I give unto you,

       When you come into the land... which I give unto you....

       Clearly this word was for Moses and the children of Israel. Yet, somehow, it is a word “in season” for me.

       My soul is even as a weaned child.