Fear or Faith? (Numbers 12-14 / Mark 5)

There are some people today who would seemingly die for a vision or dream (Num. 12:6) from the Lord. However, is it not better just to have a personal relationship with God where we can talk to and hear from Him (Num. 12:8)? This is the type of relationship Moses had with the Lord. The sin of the Israelites in Num. 13-14 boils down to a lack of trust in God. "And without faith, it is impossible to please" God (Hebrews 11:6). The Israelites had forgotten that "with God, all things are possible" (Mark 10:27). These men, who probably resembled Goliath, were of no match to God, however, the Israelites allowed their fear of man to overcome their "fear of God." If you struggle with the "fear of man" issue, I recommend you read the book, When Man is Big and God is Small.

Remember, the book of Mark is about displaying Jesus as the Son of God (Mark 1:1). So Mark 5:21-43 continues along that path displaying Jesus's power over sickness and disease. However, I would like to contrast this reading with the OT passage we read today. We see two people in this passage who display the kind of faith the Lord is looking for (v. 28, 36). So the question for us today is will we decide to trust God's Word and have faith or will we choose not to.

Twilight (Numbers 9-11 / Mark 5)

When you think of the word "twilight," you may think of the recent movie that came out that teenage girls were especially crazy about. However, when you hear the word "twilight," I want you to think about Numbers 9:11. Twilight was when the Passover was to be celebrated. One of the most important Jewish holidays was celebrated by eating the passover lamb with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. From the New Testament, we know this lamb symbolizes Christ (I Cor. 5:7 ). Unleavened bread was eaten as a reminder that the departing Israelite slaves had no time put leaven in their bread as they were hastily escaping from Egypt's hold on them. The bitter herbs represented the hard times and experiences that the Israelites had to endure under their slavery to the Egyptians. Also from Numbers 9-11, we learn that it does not pay to "complain" (11:1, 19) and that God led the Israelites through the use of a cloud (9:22-23).

In Mark 5:19, a man after being healed from demon possession is told to go home to his family and share with them what God had done for him (and he did). Do you have family times where each believer can share what God is doing in his or her life?

Gifts from God (Numbers 7-8 / Mark 4)

If you were able to read through Numbers 7 (89 verses!), you would be able to recognize the importance of making offerings to the Lord. It is important that we regularly tithe to keep the Lord's work up. In Numbers 8, we understand that the Levites were set apart to do God's work and that they were given to Aaron and his sons as "gifts" (v. 19) to accomplish the work at the Tent of Meeting. Do we see people that God sends our way to help us accomplish our daily tasks as "gifts" from God?

Mark 4:30-32 is an example of a similitude (contains an expanded simile, in this case "like"). Verse 31 says the kingdom of God is "like" a mustard seed. The kingdom has arrived and although it might seem small or insignificant now, it will grow into something amazing. Therefore, do not look for something glorious now or you will miss it!

Good Soil (Numbers 5-6 / Mark 4)

A common theme in Numbers 5 is a husband's jealousy (v. 15, 25, 29, 30). Proverbs 6:29-30 also speaks to this. Jealousy is not always bad. Remember that God is jealous over us (James 4:5) and that He is our husband (as we, His people, are the bride of Christ -Revelation 19:7). When we break the first command (Exodus 20:3), God has a right to become jealous. The first 21 verses of Numbers 6 is a display of the Nazirite vow. Nazirites in the Bible include Samson, Samuel, and John the Baptist. Numbers 6 is capped off with a beautiful "blessing."

Jesus's teaching of the parable of the sower in Mark 4 has to be one of his most popular teachings. Of the four categories mentioned (v. 15-20), where do you find yourself? The hard soil, shallow soil, and thorny soil do not produce fruit that lasts. Only ready soil (a good heart) will produce the good fruit (Matthew 7:20; 12:33) that Jesus is looking for.

Church Life (Numbers 3-4 / Mark 3)

Numbers 3-4 speaks of three Levite clans who each have tasks and responsibilities that they are to perform according to the word of the Lord. Performing these obligations is like clockwork. The Israelite culture and community can continue to move forward as the ordinary tasks are fulfilled on a daily basis. This reminds me a lot of "church life." It takes many folks working together performing ordinary tasks to help keep the church moving forward. In Numbers 4, we see that all of the clans are headcounted for men ages 30-50 who are serving "in the work of the Tent of the Meeting." This is significant. Just imagine what would happen if all men ages 30-50 were active in serving and leading in the churches of America. Indeed, the entire landscape of our country would change.

Many people seem to worry if they have committed the unpardonable sin mentioned in Mark 3:29. If this verse worries you in this manner, I seriously doubt you have anything to worry about. To blaspheme God is to basically say that He is the devil and full of evil (see v. 30). As Christ-followers, that is something we surely do not believe and something we would never say out loud. In verses 31-35, we get a real glimpse of "the family of God."

Humility (Leviticus 25 / Mark 1)

God is a God of rest. In Lev. 25, He provides rest for the land (every 7th year), and rest for slaves (year of Jubilee). It may not be Sunday, but do you find a time during the week to take a rest? Lev. 25 also speaks much to the topic of slavery. It appears to me that God has a different view of slavery than we do as typical Americans. In Hebrew culture, God allowed slavery, even of His people, the Israelites. However, what God objects to is the harsh or "ruthless" treatment of slaves (v. 43). As people made in God's image, slaves deserve to be treated with dignity and respect. In America today, we would say that many people are slaves to their work. Is your boss "ruthless" or does he or she provide you with a day of rest?

The book of Mark is about displaying Jesus as the Son of God (Mark 1:1). We see Jesus's power over evil spirits (v.25), sickness (v. 31), and disease (v. 42). Jesus truly was God's Son because only God in the flesh could perform these miracles. What strikes me is the meekness of Christ. Most people today would shout, "Look at me!" Instead, Jesus "will not let the demons speak" (v. 34) and He tells the leper, "see that you don't tell this to anyone" (v. 43). Also, Jesus knew that his time "had not yet come" (John 7:30).

Repentance (Leviticus 23-24 / Mark 1)

Jews continue to celebrate the religious festivals found in Lev. 23 today. The Jewish calendar is different from our Christian calendar. We celebrate the New Year on Jan. 1 while Jews celebrate Rosh Hashanah (the New Year) either in September or October. It is important for us to understand these "appointed feasts" so that the we can better understand our Christian heritage. As Gentiles (non-Jews), we must never forget that we have been "grafted in" or allowed access into God's kingdom (Romans 11:11-24).

In Lev. 24, we see a man stoned to death for blaspheming "the Name with a curse." It seems today that cursing God has become the in thing to do. Leviticus teaches us that God is Holy and that we should always approach His Name with reverence.

In Mark 1, it is ironic that John prepares the way for Jesus to come by preaching a "baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins" (v. 5) yet when Jesus comes, he basically preaches the same message (v.15). What is even more ironic, however, is that once Jesus ascends back into heaven, Peter preaches the same message that John preached before Jesus came (Acts 2:38). I think it is a fair statement to say that "repentance" is at the heart of one's salvation and that "repentance" is at the heart of John, Jesus, and Peter's teaching. Have you come to a point in your life where you repented of your sins and trusted Christ as your Savior?