Numbers 27-30

God’s message to me: God ordained and regulated the rules of inheritance. Not everyone has something to pass on to the next generation but, it is proper to try and preserve an estate for your heirs.

Promises: God does not leave us without guidance. Joshua was appointed to succeed Moses and Eleazar was appointed to succeed Aaron. Moses spoke with God directly but no one else did. In order to ensure continued communication in a world where the Torah had just barely been completed with the book of the law and the rest of the bible was not available, the Priest carried the Urim and Thummim. This is a simple tool of divining answers and most believe it implies a draying of lots or, essentially, a coin flip yielding simple yes or no answers. Properly used by the high priest this would reveal God’s view on a subject.

Taken with other references we can see that drawing lots(like drawing straws) was a typical way of determining God’s will for those who were not prophets. This is sensible doctrine as Christ tells us to test the spirits and there are repeated references to testing God’s calling in the bible. Simple things like laying out a wool fleece and asking God to keep it dry in the morning dew or to soak it and leave the ground dry around it as a yes or no.

Commands: God’s commands don’t change with circumstances. He ordered holidays and feasts as the Israelites traveled in the wilderness and reiterated them before they entered the promised land so that the Israelites wouldn’t think they could stop the sacrifices and holy days just because they had finally been given a permanent home.

Timeless principles: Leaving a legacy to our heirs allows our family to continue growing in prosperity through the generations. It’s also important to pass on the values we practice so that our descendants will act in the same manner for their heirs.

How can I apply what I’ve learned: Continue to follow God’s commands in good times as well as bad and make an effort to ensure that I have a legacy to pass on to the next generation.

more to learn for in-depth study: God was pretty specific about how he felt an estate should be handled in regard to inheritance. The daughters were expected to share in any inheritance of their husbands so inheritances were expected to go to the sons. If there was no son then the inheritance went to the daughter to carry on the family legacy.

If the man had no children then his estate would go to his brothers and if he had no brothers it would go to his uncles. Lacking any of these relatives it would go to the closest living relative. This system ensured the continuation of a family legacy and allowed a continual building of wealth in the family so that God’s people would continue to grow more prosperous.

While everyone seems to have their own ideas on inheritance these days the method laid down in the bible has logical and financial merit for continuing to ensure the prosperity of the family. If we followed this pattern and made an effort to ensure there was something for our heirs to inherit the financial concerns of our families would likely be much less.

tomorrow: Numbers 31-32

Leviticus chapter 21-23

God’s message to me: Holidays are a time of celebration. God has ordained many. Passover, Chanukah, Rosh Hashanah, Pentecost, Etc. are all holidays ordained by God. Chanukah closely matches our Christmas and Passover matches with Easter because the Crucifixion occurred during that holiday. Just as we Celebrate Thanksgiving, the 4th of July, Memorial Day and others, the people of Israel celebrated the harvest, the growing season, the day of atonement and the Feast of Tabernacles. Celebrating holidays isn’t an insult to God it is God’s command. I bring this up because so many friends have asked about it when others attacked them for celebrating holidays.

Promises: Keep God’s commandments and He will bless you as His holy examples to the world

Commands: Do not come to serve the Lord when your unclean. The Ritually unclean mentioned here are also a type of the sinfully unclean. It is important for all of us to get right with God before expecting to communicate with Him or gain His blessings. It is especially important for those in the ministry to take corrective action in their life. How many ministries have been torn down by the sin of their leaders? How many have survived because the leaders took action to keep them selves strait with God? How many have been pulled from the jaws of death because a leader confessed and corrected his secret sin?

Timeless principles: Celebration! Whether your celebrate Chanukah or Christmas, Passover or Easter or whatever, it is Good to celebrate the Lord and His blessings.

How can I apply what I’ve learned: Remember God in my celebrations and honor and glorify Him for His blessings. Keep myself as an example of living right.

more to learn for in-depth study: Mourning rituals varied but among the pagans self mutilation was routine. The Israelites would tear their clothes, take off their head wear, throw ashes on themselves and so on but, the priest was forbidden to take such acts in a private matter. When the High priest tore his clothes in response to what Jesus was saying it was a public matter. Jesus had just made a claim to being God. To a High Priest who believed it blasphemy this was just cause. The High priest was also forbidden from approaching a dead body, even as a part of the funeral. The only ones who were supposed to tend the body were those closest (emotionally/familial) to the deceased.

Tomorrow: Leviticus chapter 24-25