Numbers highlights and scrolls

Continuing our journey through Numbers today. I have been sick for several days and today I'm starting to have more energy to resume my study of the bible. I have been reading my assigned readings daily but have not been able to research, cross reference and ponder the readings as usual. So I've been going back and reviewing, researching, and reading my multitude of resources about my transitions from Leviticus to Numbers. While this is not a dedicated summary of my readings for the past few days it is a list of things I've learned or key items/versus that I enjoy.
I have been referencing my wonderful Archaeological Bible (which if you don't already own this bible...hop to Amazon and order it...I'll wait)
I will also be referencing the "People of the Covenant. An Indroduction to the Old Testament" which I have borrowed from our hospital chaplain. (Also highly recommended)

Highlights and things I've learned

1. Numbers....doesn't mean Numbers like counting numbers or we are counting people...Numbers is hebrew for "in the desert"

2. God has an amazing amount of patience with the disobedient and whiny Isrealites.

3. It is believed that the numbering system was different then based on the numbers provided and all those math minded people trying to figure it out. There may have been translation or terminology variations with regard to the actual number of people in the desert.

4. OK...This is really cool....
"In 1979 archaeologists unearthed a burial site at Ketef Hinnom just south of Jerusalem, near the Biblical boundary between the tribes of Judah and Benjamin. Excavated from within a burial repository were two small, rolled plaques of thin, pliable silver, each about the size of a credit card. When unrolled, they revealed delicately etched inscriptions that included a shortened version of the priestly benediction recorded in Numbers 6:24-26. One section has been translated as follows:
The Lord bless and keep you;
The Lord make his face shine upon you and give you peace.


Archaeological and Paleographic evidence dates these plaques to the late seventeenth century BC, thereby making them the earliest written citations of Scripture." The Archaeological Bible.

5. It is interesting that despite the frequent disobedience God still remains with these people in the desert, guiding them, speaking to Moses frequently and creating the laws for their culture.

Verses I love:

Numbers 6:24-26 "The Lord bless you and keep you; The Lord make His face shine upon you, And be gracious to you; The Lord life you up His countenance upon you, And give you peace."
Numbers 10:9 "When you go to war in your land against the enemy who opresses you, then you shall sound an alarm with the trumpets, and you will be remembered before the Lord your God, and you will be saved from your enemies. Also in the day of your gladness, in your appointed feasts, and at the beginning of your months, you shall blow the trumpets over your burnt offerings and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings; and they shall be a memorial for you before your God: I am the Lord your God."

Completed Job.

Well It's February 1st. Where I live we are having a blizzard! Not the kind served at Dairy Queen either. It iced last night and we've had a lot of snow and a strong north wind all day today.
I have been so fortunate in my journey through the bible. I have really enjoyed it thus far and hope I continue with my resolution to read the bible chronologically this year. One month down and 11 more to go!
Yesterday I worked all day. It was the usual day in the Emergency Room. I did get to see our hospital chaplain. She is a lovely lady. I'm sure I've mentioned her before. She is just one of those people that brings peace and calm when she enters a room. I always appreciate seeing her even though it is often during challenging times. I told her of my journey this year and occasionally I ask her questions about my readings. I have a group of trusty advisors that I ask about different questions as my journey continues. They are all wonderful in their own right. Our chaplain has brought me a few articles about different questions I've had but yesterday she brought me a book. This wasn't just any book. It was a book from when she was in school. It's called "People of the Covenant. An Introduction to the Old Testament." by Flanders, Crapps and Smith. It's great! It has all the wonderful details of a loved book - her name on the inside, highlights, underlined parts and notes. I love it! There is something about books that people reference, write in and live through. Not textbooks but books that they read for pleasure and guidance. I love it.
Anyway, I'm very excited about this book and I've been looking at it already. On the first page it says "The old testament centers upon the action of God in the affairs of men as they react to him and seek to interpret the meaning of his action for life and faith."
I have completed reading Job. It was long, dark and ultimately beautiful. At times I felt as a child would say "why is it so unfair" but only God understands. I read in my Intro to the Old Testament book a line that said "Job is every man, reminding us that a deep and personal faith oftem comes by way of the long and sometimes dark corridor of sincere questions about the relavance of God for human existence. The book ultimately asserts that he who throws himself upon God, even though perplexed about life's evil, shall find him."
In another side reading somewhere it said that God is presented during chaos and troubling times. He does not present during only the sunny days and bliss. This is so true of what I have read thus far. Maybe it is because instead of losing faith and questioning if there is a God when times are hard we should be more like those in the Old Testament and recognize that God has reasons that we are not meant to understand and while there is chaos and sadness He is present with us most during these times.