Numbers 27 - 9.23.21
Scripture - What stood out?
Numbers 27:1-7 ESV
Then drew near the daughters of Zelophehad the son of Hepher, son of Gilead, son of Machir, son of Manasseh, from the clans of Manasseh the son of Joseph. The names of his daughters were: Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. 2 And they stood before Moses and before Eleazar the priest and before the chiefs and all the congregation, at the entrance of the tent of meeting, saying, 3 “Our father died in the wilderness. He was not among the company of those who gathered themselves together against the Lord in the company of Korah, but died for his own sin. And he had no sons. 4 Why should the name of our father be taken away from his clan because he had no son? Give to us a possession among our father's brothers.”
5 Moses brought their case before the Lord. 6 And the Lord said to Moses, 7 “The daughters of Zelophehad are right. You shall give them possession of an inheritance among their father's brothers and transfer the inheritance of their father to them.
Observation - What does it say?
In the previous chapter of the same book it had been decided by the Lord in verse 55, ‘But the land shall be divided by lot. According to the names of the tribes of their fathers they shall inherit.’ The Lord had laid down law. The Lord had. Yet the daughters of Zelophehad appear in front of Moses, Eleazar, and the chiefs of all the congregation, and even this great board of elders appears to be stumped by this request. God hears their case and amends His own law.
Understanding - What does it mean?
They were aligned with God’s heart.
I believe that the daughters of Zelophehad, aptly named, had a deep desire to honor God and to honor their father. Beginning in verse three the daughters begin their argument by trying to clear their father’s good name. (Some scholars believe that Zelophehad is the same sabbath breaking and stick gathering sinner in Numbers 15.)In verse four they once again make it clear that this is about their father’s namesake not their own. And they conclude by asking for - what belonged to their father.
There is some fairly intense scholarly debate over whether Zelophehad was a good or a bad man. But I believe his daughters loved and cared for him deeply. So much so that they were willing and able to stand before the leaders of their nation and plead their case. The daughters are known to me by their wisdom of God’s law and their bravery.
But I wonder...Where did they get their wisdom and their bravery from? There is one particular interpretation of this sabbath breaking stick gathering story that peaks my interest. One in which a man who so loved his nation that he desired to show them what disobedience to God would look like. Who chose to willingly disobey God on a sabbath day so that current and future generations would understand how important it was to obey the Lord. And did this at the risk of his own life. I wonder if such an act would be considered to show wisdom in God’s law and bravery. And that perhaps a man like that would also have a deep desire to pass on his wisdom and courage to his children.
Life Application - How can I apply this to my life today?
Only You have all the answers Lord, but my prayer is that you have opened my eyes to a truer understanding of Your word. There are so many angles to this story that I would love to ask You about, but I land at the same conclusion. The daughters chose to honor You. And they chose to honor their father. It wasn’t about their own name. It was about their father’s. They chose humility over pride. How can I align myself more fully with you today oh Lord! For my life application today I would like to refer to myself as simply a son of God. Help me to make it about Your name’s sake! Holy Spirit give me an opportunity today to give glory to and spread the reputation of God the Father, Jesus His Son, and You Holy Spirit! In the name of Jesus do I pray, amen.
-a son of God (lowercase s was used)
John 20-9.22.21
Scripture
John 20:20
After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.
Observation
After Jesus’ resurrection Mary Magdalene visits His tomb only to find it empty. From here, two of the disciples visit the tomb as well, and they begin to search for Jesus’ body. Jesus then appears to Mary and she gathers the disciples and He then appears to them and shows them His scars.
Understanding
Something I never cared to notice until today was the fact that Jesus showed His scars to His disciples. His scars… the icky, and not-so-nice-looking marks on His hands and sides. The very thing that was meant to bring shame, the places where He was nailed to a cross to die. Not only that, it is from here that His disciples start to rejoice because they know that they are in the presence of their teacher. He doesn’t do it reluctantly either, He willing shows them to those that He loves.
Why does this matter to us? Well is Jesus is supposed to be the model for everything that we do, then it might be time for us to show off our scars. The things that we are most ashamed of or try to hide away, Jesus wants to see them so that He can rejoice that they are no longer open wounds. Scars tell our story, whether it is a story we care to remember or not. They convey that in one point in time we felt something that deeply that left a mark. And Jesus wants to redeem what you think is to be hidden.
Life Application
What is something that you haven’t surrendered to Jesus? Jesus gladly showed His scars to His close friends, and maybe that’s the place best place for you to start. Get some close friends and let them know what you are ashamed of and work on healing together. And remember Jesus saw it all and still chose the cross.
-Allison Khan
John 19
Scripture
John 19: 1-3
Then Pilate took Jesus and had Him flogged. 2 The soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head. They clothed Him in a purple robe 3 and went up to Him again and again, saying, “Hail, king of the Jews!” And they slapped Him in the face.
Observation-What does it say?
Jesus died a sinner's/criminal's death. He was not only killed, but was mocked, tortured and treated like the lowest of the low. He was innocent and sinless and did not deserve that type of punishment, yet He endured it for the world.
Understanding-What does it mean?
The depths of His love for the world is immeasurable. Jesus' deep, passionate and relentless love for us held Him to endure all that pain and suffering.
How can someone endure such pain and torture, especially the Son of God who could have easily murdered everyone involved? Of course, He was being obedient to His Father's will, but I believe it is more than that. It was His love for you and I that sustained Him through all that torture and pain. I imagine that He was thinking of You and I and all the love He had for all sinners of the world. How can we choose to neglect Him when we grasp the depths of His love for us?
I love the song "Above All". It always gets me at the heart, especially the part of the song that says, "Like a rose, trampled on the ground, You took the fall and thought of me, above all."
“But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.”
Isaiah 53:5-7 NIV
Life Application
His love for us is not meant to be hidden and kept to ourselves, but shared with the world., especially those who don't yet know.
“For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” John 3:17 NIV
People need Jesus. Understanding that He is not here to condemn me but to save me from myself and sinful thoughts/ways, motivates me to want to share that gift with others. God IS love (1 John 4:8 and 4:16b) and the understanding that no one can separate me from His undeniable and jealous love is what strengthens me to love others in return.
Let's love others by gifting them with the opportunity to hear the Good News and Gospel message of our Lord, Savior and King. This is why I am also very excited about the heart behind our “In the City” (ITC) groups! People need Jesus!
-Michelle Gaddi