May 8, 2024 

Today's Reading: Numbers 10:11-36

Daily Lectionary: Numbers 10:11-36; Luke 16:19-31

And whenever the ark set out, Moses said, “Arise, O Lord, and let your enemies be scattered, and let those who hate you flee before you.” And when it rested, he said, “Return, O Lord, to the ten thousand thousands of Israel.” (Numbers 10:35-36)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. The ark of the covenant was basically a very decorated, ornate box. It was a man-made thing. In Exodus 25, God gave Moses instructions on how the ark was to be built. Yet, despite it being a man-crafted thing, the ark was of divine origin. Therefore, the ark was both of God and of man. God designed it. Man built it.

Moses speaks when the ark was moved or brought back. “Arise, O Lord!” “Return, O Lord!” But it was this man-made box that was being moved! People had to pick it up and move it every time they were marching to the next spot. The ark didn’t do anything. It just sat there. It sounds like Moses was speaking to a box, and thinking this man-made box was God Himself!

Moses is not committing idolatry, though. He says this because God used the ark of the covenant as His throne. 1 Samuel 4:4 speaks of “the ark of the covenant of the Lord of hosts, who dwells between the cherubim.” This referred to the two cherubs on the golden mercy seat lid that covered the ark. So when we see the ark in the Old Testament, we see it as the place where God chose to locate Himself in all His power, to give mercy in the proper way to His people. That’s why even though the ark was picked up by men, it was still as though God Himself was moving. God Himself was leading, because He commanded by His Word where His people were to go or where they were to stop.

Jesus is like the ark of the covenant. He is both of God and of man. Begotten of the Father from all eternity, yet born of the virgin Mary. Like the ark of the covenant, Jesus is where God has chosen to locate Himself in His power, to give mercy in the proper way to His people. This is what the Catechism teaches about Jesus. Basically, there are three points to remember about Jesus’ divine and human natures: 1) These two natures are one person, 2) These two act as one for your salvation, and 3) The divine nature shares with human nature. And all for you and your salvation. The incarnate Son of God in human flesh lived perfectly in your place. He bore your sins. He suffered and died. He rose in your place as well. All so that you could come before God the Father safely, forgiven of sins, and cleansed from all unrighteousness. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

Arise, O Lord Jesus, and rescue us from our enemies of sin, death, and the devil. Amen.

- Pastor. Robert Mayes is the pastor at Immanuel Lutheran Church and Zion St. John Lutheran Church in Beemer and Wisner, NE.

Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, Ky.

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