Admittedly, Leviticus and Numbers are challenging texts to trudge through, particularly if you read them through in isolation. Metaphorically, Leviticus and Numbers are like having a plate full of spinach to eat—so, I encourage you to read those texts along with gospel passage and a psalm, it’s like a well mixed green salad with a nice piece of cheesecake.
I was making my way through Numbers this morning. (Numbers 6 & 7) It’s a text filled with instructions, rules and regulations. And as we’ve discussed before, instructions, rules and regulations are extremely important—especially for a nation learning to live in its new found YHWH-given freedom. Regardless, it is an arduous task to read through verse after verse of instructions. Particularly, when we ourselves are in challenging times.
Let me explain what I mean by that. When we go to the “Word,” we are looking for solace, comfort, inspiration and motivation. We need it. And it’s difficult to find it, sometimes, in a barrage of rules and regulations.
BUT… (you know there is always a “but.”) smack-dab in the middle of this morning’s barrage of rules and regulations, as if out of nowhere, we get these verses:
Numbers 6:22-26 The the LORD (YHWH) said to Moses, “Instruct Aaron and his sons to bless the people of Israel with this special blessing: ‘May the LORD bless you and protect you. May the LORD smile on you and be gracious to you. May the LORD show you his favor (grace) and give you his peace.’
As the old preacher used to say in his sermons, “I think we need to just stop and shout a little bit!” (For those of you not familiar with experiential type worship, the old preacher was calling his people to celebrate God’s faithfulness!)
Yes, God is a God of instructions, rules and regulations.
As much as we kick against them; as much as we dislike them; as much as we fight against them; God provides them for our good. (Remember the phrase our parents used to use? “This is for your own good.”)
BUT…in the midst of that, there is a Heavenly Parent who loves lavishly; a Divine Creator who not only imagines the best for us but leads us into it and creates it for us. God is a God who wants to bless us; protect us, smile on us, be gracious to us and show God’s favor to us, in us and through us. That my friends is indeed Good News!
The verse that follows Numbers 6:22-6:26 says this: “This is how Aaron and his sons will designate the Israelites as my people and I my people and I myself will bless them.” The translation of that verse is better said this way: “and YHWH says, I will put my name on my people.”
Let’s break it down this way;
God looks at you and me and says, “That’s my child!” Those of you who are parents know the feeling—it’s that moment when your son or daughter has worked hard to reach a goal or accomplishment. You take your seat in the bleachers and when the accomplishment is acknowledged, you lean over to the stranger beside you, smiling, and you whisper, “Hey, that’s my kid! I”m proud of them.”
So in the midst of rules and regulations; in the midst of challenges and chaos; smack-dab in the middle of the living of our lives, as hectic and stress-filled as they are—our Heavenly Parent speaks blessing and protection and grace over our lives; strengthens us to move forward to meet the challenges and says, “Way to go, you’re mine.”
So today, “May the LORD bless you and protect you. May the LORD make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you. May the LORD show you the LORD’s favor and give you the LORD’s shalom.” (And by the way, there’s an entire sermon in having the peace of God in our lives…the word is actually Shalom and there’s good news to found there, too. But we’ll mine that verse at a later date.)
Friends, it might be that we need to stop and shout a bit! (Celebrate God’s faithfulness)