Commuter Bible

As Israel celebrates the Passover a second time, new questions arise about who may partake of the Passover and who should abstain. Afterwards, Israel begins their journey toward the Promised Land, leaving Mount Sinai behind as they follow the cloud above the tabernacle, camping when the cloud stops. It doesn’t take long before Israel becomes dissatisfied with what the Lord provides, complaining that the food they had in Egypt was better than manna from the Lord. Finally, Miriam and Aaron get jealous of the authority given to Moses, criticizing him in order to elevate themselves.

We’re continuing in the book of Numbers today, which has a reputation for putting people off both because of the title and because the first seven chapters or so contain some repetition. This repetition is intentional, however; think about it: there's no copy/paste function for papyrus or scrolls, every word was written with planning and intention. These handwritten details would have also been read aloud, and would have impressed upon the hearer that God had provided for the Israelites lavishly. Today’s reading only has one repetitive chapter, so if you want to put me on 2x speed for that chapter, I won’t judge!

If you think numbers are boring, then maybe you never counted your Christmas presents as a kid, memorized the stats of your favorite athletes, or reported the number of indigenous believers saved through the work a missionary. The numbers presented in these first few chapters represent the faithfulness of God to Israel, who had flourished even while under captivity in Egypt. And don’t worry, the title of this book is a little misleading; while it opens with counting heads, it gets more exciting in coming chapters.

The author of Hebrews continues to reference Old Testament Scripture to make a defense for the superiority of Christ over all things. The earthly tabernacle is but a shadow of the heavens, where Christ serves as great high priest. He has made a superior sacrifice, shedding His own blood rather than that of goats, bulls, or rams. He oversees a new covenant, where the law is written on the hearts and minds of those who trust in Him. Men and women of faith who came before Him were waiting for the promise of His coming. In Him, we have not come to Mount Sinai, but Mount Zion, where Christ intercedes on our behalf.

How can Jesus be our great high priest if he is from the tribe of Judah rather than the tribe of Levi? The writer of Hebrews quotes Psalm 110 and explains that Jesus is a better high priest, because unlike mere mortal men, he is unstained by sin and unconstrained by death. As a side note, if you’d like a refresher on the original account of Melchizedek, you can go back and listen to Genesis 14, found in episode 5 of Commuter Bible.

Today on Commuter Bible, we dive into the book of Hebrews, written to Jewish converts to convince and encourage them that Jesus is superior. While the writer of the book of Hebrews remains unknown, we do know that this writer can quote the Old Testament Scriptures at length and is very polished in his ability to write and to reason. This letter is unique, as it has no greeting and seems to be directed specifically toward Jewish believers. In today’s passage, the writer argues that Jesus is greater than angels, greater than Moses, a better rest than the Sabbath day, and a better high priest.

Our time in Leviticus comes to a close today, as the Lord explains the institutions of Sabbath years and the year of Jubilee. Israel is to work the ground for six years, then on the seventh year they are to rest. After 49 years (7x7) they are to celebrate a year of Jubilee where debts are cancelled and Hebrew servants relieved from their service. Finally, if Israel fails to observe the Lord’s commands, they will be cut off from the Lord, and their sacrifices will no longer be pleasing to God.

Our passage today begins with an appeal to Israel to be holy before their holy God, using some the Ten Commandments as bullet points for discussion. As we read, you’ll notice that there is to be an “otherness” amongst the Israelites that makes them distinct from the rest of the world. To our modern ears and worldview, it may seem limiting or perhaps cruel that the Lord would be so particular, but every instance is designed to connote elements of purity, wholeness, unity, and devotion to the Lord. In their worship to God, only the best would do, and anything offered that fell short was an insinuation that God was not worthy of the best they could offer.

We’re continuing to look at those actions or objects that make one ceremonially unclean in the Israelite community; sometimes those things are related to infectious diseases, sometimes it is because they are immoral or detestable, but other times they simply represent being set apart for the Lord. Not everything in today’s reading has a moral component, it simply means the person can’t approach the Lord in the tent of meeting, or that they must be outside the camp. As we approach the end of today’s reading, however, the Lord makes it clear that there are some practices they should never pursue.

As part of their covenant with the Lord, the Israelites were given regulations concerning what is considered clean and unclean. At times this is a means of health and well-being, at other times it serves as a distinction from surrounding nations. The term “unclean” doesn’t necessarily mean those things are dirty, germ-infested, or immoral, though some of them certainly are, but these things are all ceremonially unclean; this is how Israel is to be set-apart from other nations, and given fully to the Lord. These regulations would have made Israel a distinct people on the earth, and the nations would know by their actions that they were fully devoted to the Lord.