A Net in Time

Curriculum and book reviews, faith, homeschooling and more!

Old Testament

Worship in Ancient Israel

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Worship in Ancient Israel is important to understand.  Understanding how worship happened helps to broaden our knowledge of God in action in the entirety of the Bible. 

Worship in Ancient Israel

How Worship is Conducted

Worship in Ancient Israel from the time of Moses on moved from separate family worship to corporate worship.   We see God dwelling among his people. He lived right among them talking with them.  When they broke covenant with him he lived outside the camp for a while (Exodus 33).

The Tent of Meeting

The Tent of Meeting is where God met with his people. It was called several different things depending on how it was used. 

  • The Tent of Meeting: God meeting with Israel by appointment. 
  • Dwelling Place: God abiding with his people.
  • Holy Place: Places an emphasis on God’s holiness
  • Tent of Testimony: How God is active as a guide in the lives of his people. 

The Tent became the Tabernacle

During the time of Solomon God’s dwelling place in the tent which could travel and move with his people became a permanent structure.   The temple was a foreshadowing of God’s continued presence with his people.   God’s dwelling place would be in the hearts of his people. 

Creation of the Priesthood

Moses served as priest intervening as mediator between the people and God.  Aaron later was given this responsibility.   They stood in the gap between God and his people.  Teaching them, helping them offer sacrifices and enabling them to understand God’s laws. We know in the New Testament that Jesus fulfilled the role of High Priest forever.  Without understanding this role in the Old, we can’t grasp the significance in the New. 

System of Sacrifices

There were SO many sacrifices.  Daily, weekly, and annually.  

  • Burnt offering: forgiveness for sins, devotion to God
  • Peace offering: Thanksgiving, fellowship, 
  • Grain offering: Voluntary offering of devotion to God
  • Sin offering: For unintentional sin
  • Guilt offering: Making reparation for sin. 

But the highlight of this system is the Day of Atonement.   Two goats, one which was sacrificed for the sins of the people.  The second was released into the wilderness where symbolically it carried away the sins of the people. 

All these sacrifices didn’t really do anything, they were just symbolic of God’s relationship with his people, and their needful response to him.   God removed the sin of his people and accepted the animal as a substitute.   This points to the way to Jesus being accepted as substitute.

 

Everything in the Old Testament points the way to Jesus Christ.   The People and their relationship to God, the sacrifices, the roles of the priests… it all points to Christ. 

Others in this Series

 

The Sinai Covenant

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Well, the last time we chatted about Harman’s book Learning about the Old Testament we discussed The Exodus.   Today we will look at the covenant at Sinai.

The Sinai Covenant

Mount Sinai is located in the Sinai peninsula.  The mount is traditionally seen in being smack in the triangle between the dead and red sea. 

Explanation of Sinai Covenant

Anyways, the Sinai covenant is the first time that God went from having individual covenants with people to having one with the whole nation.   God made this covenant in a manner they were familiar with (Hittite covenant style). 

God also called Israel his son (Ex.4:22-23),not only his son but his FIRST-born son. That position has authority and expectations with it. As such God expected Israel as a nation to act in a manner befitting that relationship.  They were to be holy, a treasured possession, a people who worshipped and served him. In 1 Peter 2:9 we find those expectation repeated for the Christian church.  They are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God that (they) might declare the praises of him who called (them) out of darkness into his marvellous light.  

The Importance

THIS is the importance of the Sinai covenant.  Learning who God’s people are.  HIS sons!  First-born none-the-less!

But issues

God has set up this covenant and now it time to set the terms.   He meets with Israel’s representative and gives out the ten commandments.    We aren’t told how they were written down, just that they were on stone tablets. As a people chosen it was expected they would live in a particular way.   The Decalogue would help them know how to live. 

The people sinned.  Moses intervened.  The tablets were broken to show that the covenant had been broken and it was remade. 

Beyond the 10 Commandments God issued other commands to help the people retain their differences from the nations around them.  How they dressed, ate, and worshipped needed to show their uniqueness. 

He also showed his uniqueness by dwelling among them in the “tent of meeting”.   God lived in a tent just as they did…foreshadowing how Christ would dwell among people…becoming man himself.    

He taught all the important elements of worship

  • Sacrifice is a part of worship
  • meeting together in a place of his choosing
  • The need for a humble and contrite heart
  • and the symbolism of the goat, sheep and bull blood.  It didn’t remove sin, it was just a sign of God’s action and encouragement to look forward to the completion that would come.
The Sinai Covenant

My Reflection

You know I haven’t really thought about how the covenants of the Old Testament showed us things in the New.  Like I have understood the concept up until this point but never truly stopped to THINK on it.  

Like God dwelling with his people.  The tent of meeting being a foreshadowing of Christ.   I just never connected those ideas. It’s a powerful one if you really stop to think on it. 

I also have to ponder on.. how do I show my uniqueness to the world around me?  How do other people see my faith?  Or don’t they?  I don’t always know.  I’m often tired, and I like to do things my own way, and I don’t know if that shows Christ’s love.  Doubt is something I live with.

Sometimes I think it might be easier to live like the old-order Mennonites.  Having my unique dress and standoffishness from the world show my faith, but I don’t truly think that’s the answer. Is my relationship with the Lord readily apparent?  

I love that verse in Peter eh?   When I die.. I want a GOOD sermon preached on that text.  It’s the verse that reminds me of who I am in Christ.  Chosen, wanted, desired, with a PURPOSE…to glorify God.  I just … I don’t know.   Struggle with the execution I suppose.  Or at least thinking I execute at all in the showing of God’s glory.  

The Exodus

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In the time leading up to the Exodus, God remembered his covenant with Noah, and he remembered his covenant with Abraham.  This led the way to the birth of Moses. A man, born into a people enslaved in Egypt.  Pulled out of that, pulled away from his Jewishness, and yet he intervened into the life of a Jewish slave and his life fell apart. 

The Exodus

Moses, a well-educated man, took off.  Afraid of the repercussions from his actions.  He met a gal and worked for his father-in-law. 40 years passed.

God came to him.

Moses learned three important details

  1. God was holy.
  2. God was a covenantal God.  God is the same God who made covenants with forefathers. 
  3. This covenantal God has the special name. Jehovah. YHWH. LORD. This name is indicative of a gracious, loving God who works to redeem his covenantal people. 
  4. Moses would be his messenger, the one through whom he would deliver his people from slavery. 
  5. God would display his power against the Egyptians.  This would be God’s work, not the work of Moses.  God’s alone. 

This information was pivotal to Moses as he was prepared to lead the exodus.

The Exodus

And so God acted.  Moses, his chosen instrument. The Exodus took place with God doing much in the lives of his people.  His grace was shown clearly to his people. The Passover meal became a part of their lives.  The Israelites saw miraculous signs and wonders accomplished by their God.  YHWH God worked in their lives. 

There is much more in this chapter, but this is what I picked out as easiest to share. 

Thinking on what I read

God’s grace was poured out on his people.  He remembered his agreements that he made with Noah and Abraham. So when they called out to him in their distress, he remembered and then acted.

He made it clear to Moses that he would use him as his chosen instrument that it was not Moses who would be saving the people, but God and God alone. 

I wonder how often we forget that.  It is not us who lead people to God.   It is not us who clearly presents God to people.  It is YHWH God himself.  The Lord God himself who works through us to present himself to the people around us.  Do we remember that?  I don’t know about you, but it something I often forget.  I’m to be a vessel for God.  Just like Moses needed to learn and act as God told him to.  

Others in this series

Peace & Security, Surprise News

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Today’s passage in Micah is 5:1-6.  Last time we met the discussion was about The daughter of Jerusalem being rescued. 

Now muster your troops, O daughter of troops;
    siege is laid against us;
with a rod they strike the judge of Israel
    on the cheek.
2 But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah,
    who are too little to be among the clans of Judah,
from you shall come forth for me
    one who is to be ruler in Israel,
whose coming forth is from of old,
    from ancient days.
3 Therefore he shall give them up until the time
    when she who is in labor has given birth;
then the rest of his brothers shall return
    to the people of Israel.
4 And he shall stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the Lord,
    in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God.
And they shall dwell secure, for now he shall be great
    to the ends of the earth.
5 And he shall be their peace.

When the Assyrian comes into our land
    and treads in our palaces,
then we will raise against him seven shepherds
    and eight princes of men;
6 they shall shepherd the land of Assyria with the sword,
    and the land of Nimrod at its entrances;
and he shall deliver us from the Assyrian
    when he comes into our land
    and treads within our border.

Looking at Scripture

We know that rescue is coming to Jerusalem, but in the meantime, the call is out.  Gather in your armies, trouble is coming!

Now muster your troops, O daughter of troops;
    siege is laid against us;
with a rod they strike the judge of Israel
    on the cheek.

But it’s different for Bethlehem.  The smallest of all.  Considered too little to be one of Israel’s clans.  A people too little to matter much of anything. 
2 But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah,
    who are too little to be among the clans of Judah,

Something important is going to happen with this insignificant place.  

A ruler is going to come out. This ruler is going to be the ruler of Israel. This ruler is one talked about long ago, days from so long ago it’s ancient. He IS coming forth from Bethlehem.
from you shall come forth for me
    one who is to be ruler in Israel,
whose coming forth is from of old,
    from ancient days.

This line “therefore he shall give them up until the time” I think is talking about God and how, for a while, he is giving Bethlehem up.  This small, insignificant place.  He is giving them up til the time this ruler shall come forth. 
3 Therefore he shall give them up until the time
    when she who is in labor has given birth;

When that time comes, all of Israel shall be one family again. 
then the rest of his brothers shall return
    to the people of Israel.

This ruler will be a shepherd to Israel. Not only that, he will shepherd his people in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the Lord HIS God. That is the kind of shepherd that shall rise out of Bethlehem.
4 And he shall stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the Lord,
    in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God.

He will be the type of shepherd that makes his flock feel secure.  In fact their shepherd is great to the ends of the earth.  One who makes you that secure, is one who can be in charge.  A leader, protector, a shepherd.
And they shall dwell secure, for now he shall be great
    to the ends of the earth.
5 And he shall be their peace.

BUT all is not at peace for the Assyrians are going to come.   I will freely admit I don’t understand everything about this passage beyond the fact that Israel shall defend herself.  She will be raising up shepherds and princes of men.  They will shepherd Israel.  In the end, the shepherd, who is coming, will deliver Israel from the Assyrians.  

When the Assyrian comes into our land
    and treads in our palaces,
then we will raise against him seven shepherds
    and eight princes of men;
6 they shall shepherd the land of Assyria with the sword,
    and the land of Nimrod at its entrances;
and he shall deliver us from the Assyrian
    when he comes into our land
    and treads within our border.

Pondering

Can you imagine it? Looking back at verse 4-5.  That feeling of security? That ability to rest secure.  Sheep like feeling secure.  We know from scripture that people are like sheep.  We like to being in groups, we like that whole feeling of security.  Now imagine being so secure that you have peace.  Oh the contentment that would bring. 

Hanging on to that thought, helps make everything alright. 

Challenges faced in life are not a worry when you have peace and security.  To know that in the end, it will be okay.  It’s huge!

I also have to look at how a place deemed insignificant really wasn’t. Out of  a small, unimportant place, the one who would save his people would be born.   Would rise up out of it. A shepherd who would save his people.

It’s amazing if you stop and think about it. 

Covenant with Abraham

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Last week we covered the covenant with Noah, today we move on to Abraham.  My study is based on the book Learning about the Old Testament by Allan Harman. 

covenant with Abraham

Abraham’s relationship with God was covenant lived out over time.

Starting off in Ur and leading all the way to Canaan. Abram at first and then later Abraham.

Having his faith tested as he needed to believe

  • God would make him into a great nation. This was hard. They were childless a long time, he made alternative arrangements, and then God blessed them with a child.
  • The land of Canaan would be his home. The home he and his family (which would be a great nation) would need to live in. Believing that God could turn this into reality.
  • Through him, through his family, all nations of the world would be blessed. Stop and think about that a moment. How does one even grasp that idea? Would it be your whole family or just a part? How does one believe in that idea? It seems too big to grasp, yet God put it as part of his covenant with Abraham.

God repeated these three aspects of the covenant with Abraham’s offspring Isaac and Jacob.

Part of the seal of that covenant was circumcision for the boy children in Abraham’s family.

Throughout their relationship God revealed himself to Abraham, sometimes physically, but always in relationship. Abraham’s faith in God was deep and solid. His trust in God’s care and provision was overall steady. It wasn’t perfect, he made errors, he sinned, but in the end his love for God was real.

This is a foundation laid isn’t it?

Daughter of Jerusalem Rescued

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I know it’s been a while, honestly my thoughts have been elsewhere.  Gardens, schooling, and more.  I’ve been busy and rather tired and falling asleep in the evening when I would normally be blogging.  Last time we might we discussed The Mountain of the Lord. 

In that day, declares the Lord,
    I will assemble the lame
and gather those who have been driven away
    and those whom I have afflicted;
7 and the lame I will make the remnant,
    and those who were cast off, a strong nation;
and the Lord will reign over them in Mount Zion
    from this time forth and forevermore.

8 And you, O tower of the flock,
    hill of the daughter of Zion,
to you shall it come,
    the former dominion shall come,
    kingship for the daughter of Jerusalem.

9 Now why do you cry aloud?
    Is there no king in you?
Has your counselor perished,
    that pain seized you like a woman in labor?
10 Writhe and groan, O daughter of Zion,
    like a woman in labor,
for now you shall go out from the city
    and dwell in the open country;
    you shall go to Babylon.
There you shall be rescued;
    there the Lord will redeem you
    from the hand of your enemies.

11 Now many nations
    are assembled against you,
saying, “Let her be defiled,
    and let our eyes gaze upon Zion.”
12 But they do not know
    the thoughts of the Lord;
they do not understand his plan,
    that he has gathered them as sheaves to the threshing floor.
13 Arise and thresh,
    O daughter of Zion,
for I will make your horn iron,
    and I will make your hoofs bronze;
you shall beat in pieces many peoples;
    and shall devote their gain to the Lord,
    their wealth to the Lord of the whole earth.

Micah 4:6-13

Scripture Speaks

 

Look at the people The Lord God will gather together: the lame, the driven away, and the afflicted.    God will make the lame a remnant and the cast off into a strong nation. 

In that day, declares the Lord,
    I will assemble the lame
and gather those who have been driven away
    and those whom I have afflicted;
7 and the lame I will make the remnant,
    and those who were cast off, a strong nation;

Not only that, the Lord God will reign over in Zion for ever. 

and the Lord will reign over them in Mount Zion
    from this time forth and forevermore.

Tower of Flock

There is some discussion about what tower of flock means.  Some thinks it means Jerusalem, some think it’s an actual tower, and yet others think it’s a gateway that Christ will come through.  But whomever it is, whatever the tower of the flock is, kingship will come.  It doesn’t make sense that it is Jerusalem, but she can’t be her own daughter. Figurative language not withstanding. 🙂

8 And you, O tower of the flock,
    hill of the daughter of Zion,
to you shall it come,
    the former dominion shall come,
    kingship for the daughter of Jerusalem.

The questions come:

9 Now why do you cry aloud?

    Is there no king in you?
Has your counselor perished,
    that pain seized you like a woman in labor?

With no answers given to the questions, the daughter of Zion that rescue is coming.  But rescue will come after struggle.  Struggle as if in labour pains, leave the city, dwell in the open, go down to Babylon and wait.  Rescue happens in Babylon.  Rescue by the Lord, the one who redeems her from the enemies. 
10 Writhe and groan, O daughter of Zion,
    like a woman in labor,
for now you shall go out from the city
    and dwell in the open country;
    you shall go to Babylon.
There you shall be rescued;
    there the Lord will redeem you
    from the hand of your enemies.

Rescue will happen

In Babylon the daughter waits, the nations around mock. 

Now many nations
    are assembled against you,
saying, “Let her be defiled,
    and let our eyes gaze upon Zion.”

But you know what?  These nations don’t understand the thoughts of God.  They have no clue what he plan is. 
12 But they do not know
    the thoughts of the Lord;
they do not understand his plan,

These nations don’t know that they are about to be put to the threshing floor.  They will be beaten and the goods gathered from them, devoted to God. 
   
you shall beat in pieces many peoples;
    and shall devote their gain to the Lord,
    their wealth to the Lord of the whole earth.

Micah 4:6-13

Thinking a bit

I think about those words “they do not know
    the thoughts of the Lord; they do not understand his plan”

Ruminating on those words one can find comfort.  Comfort that the enemy of the Lord doesn’t know God’s plans. He doesn’t know the end run.  He see the long term goals.  For all he knows, what he sees is the immediate and thinks a winning hand is there. 

I recall how they mocked the daughter of Jerusalem, showing no pity, but wanting her to be defiled.   They only saw her struggle, they didn’t see the end that God had in store.  

Isn’t it just like it is in our lives?   So easy to kick the person that is down, or helpless, or in a hard place.  The daughter of Jerusalem was in a hard place and had no one coming to her aid.   Imagine being alone in childbirth and how hard that would be.   So hard and alone eh?

But they don’t know.  They don’t.  Rescue is on the way and God told the daughter of Jerusalem that it would be so.  She knows better, but her nay-sayers don’t.  I do hope she listens!

 

Covenant with Noah

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We have talked about covenant of creation, and God’s covenants.  Today we talk about the covenant with Noah.  Sin had kept increasing in the world, to the point of murder.  People were still calling upon the name of the Lord, so the worship of God was still happening.   But more and more, as the generations passed, people were doing their own thing and boasting about their sinfulness. 

Then there is Noah.  We are told that he is a righteous man, in Genesis 6:9 “Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation. Noah walked with God.”  He had that kind of relationship with God, a close personal relationship where it can be said that he walked with God.

covenant with Noah

God comes to Noah, tells him his plan.  Gives Noah a commission.  Build me a boat, a big boat.   And Noah, being the man that he was, a faithful righteous man, accepted that commission and stood by it.  Nay-sayers, mockers and all, he kept his word to the Lord and built it. 

This commission was a covenant between Noah and God.  God made his promises…he would save the animals of the world and Noah and his whole family. Noah in response, would build the ark, working to complete it before it was needed. 

At the end of the flood, God remembered the people, opened up the ark and let them out.  Noah offered a sacrifice “And when the Lord smelled the pleasing aroma, the Lord said in his heart, “I will never again curse the ground because of man, for the intention of man’s heart is evil from his youth. Neither will I ever again strike down every living creature as I have done.“

God promises not to do this again because… man’s heart is evil from his youth.   You know something, I KNOW the story of Noah but this verse is a revelation to me tonight.  God destroyed the people because of their evil hearts, but it didn’t work you know?  Man’s heart continues to be evil so God knows another way must be found to turn men’s hearts away from evil.   He knows it, so using a flood to enact judgement isn’t the answer. 

In Genesis 9 we learn the following from God

  • Man is made in God’s image and therefore is precious.
  • Mankind is to procreate, to fill the earth.
  • God won’t destroy mankind like this again. In fact he built in ways for them to be fed and sustained.

Then we get the rainbow, a highly recognizable promise from God.  We see it and remember God’s promise.  God sees it and remembers his covenant with us. 

covenant with Noah