Numbers 8
Instructions regarding the candlestickverses 1-4
And the LORD spoke unto Moses
saying
Speak to Aaron
and say unto him
When you light the lamps – the seven lamps shall give light over
against the candlestick
And Aaron did so
he lighted the lamps thereof over against the candlestick
as the LORD commanded Moses
And this work of the candlestick was of beaten gold to the shaft thereof
to the flowers thereof – was beaten work
according to the pattern which the LORD had shown
Moses so he made the candlestick
Cleansing of the Levites for serviceverses 5-13
And the LORD spoke to Moses
saying
Take the Levites from among the children of Israel
and cleanse them
Thus shall you do to them
to cleanse them
Sprinkle water of purifying upon them
and let them shave all their flesh
and let them wash their clothes
and so make themselves clean
THEN let them take a young bullock with his meat offering
even fine flour mingled with oil and another
and another young bullock shall you take
for a sin offering
You shall bring the Levites before the tabernacle of the congregation
you shall gather the whole assembly of the children of Israel
together
you shall bring the Levites before the LORD
and the children of Israel shall put their hands
on the Levites
And Aaron shall offer the Levites before the LORD for an
offering of the children of Israel
that they may execute the service of the LORD
And the Levites shall lay their hands on the heads of the bullocks
and you shall offer the one for a sin offering
and the other for a burnt offering – to the LORD
to make an ATONEMENT for the Levites
And you shall set the Levites before Aaron – and before his sons
and offer them for an offering to the LORD
Levities = Israel’s firstbornverses 14-19
THUS shall you SEPARATE the Levites from among the
children of Israel – and the Levites shall be MINE
And after that shall the Levites go in to do the service of
the tabernacle of the congregation – and you shall cleanse them
and offer them for an offering
FOR they are wholly given to ME from among the children of Israel
instead of such as open every womb
even instead of the firstborn of all the children of Israel
have I taken them to ME
FOR all the firstborn of the children of Israel were MINE
both man and beast
On the day that I smote every firstborn in the land of Egypt
I sanctified them for MYSELF
And I have taken the Levites for all the firstborn of the children of Israel
and I have given the Levites as a gift to Aaron and to his sons from
among the children of Israel
to do the service of the children of Israel in the
tabernacle of the congregation
and to make an ATONEMENT for the children of Israel
that there be NO PLAGUE among the children of Israel
when the children of Israel come nigh unto the sanctuary
Dedication completedverses 20-22
And Moses and Aaron – and all the congregation of the children of Israel
did to the Levites according to all that the LORD commanded
Moses concerning the Levites
so did the children of Israel to them
And the Levites were PURIFIED – and they WASHED their clothes
and Aaron offered them as an offering before the LORD
and Aaron made an ATONEMENT for them
to CLEANSE them
Retirement of Levitesverses 23-26
And the LORD spoke to Moses
saying
This is it that belongs unto the Levites
from twenty and five years old and upward they shall go in
to wait upon the service of the tabernacle of
the congregation
and from the age of fifty years they shall cease waiting upon
the service thereof and shall serve no more
BUT shall minister with their brethren in the
tabernacle of the congregation
to keep the charge
and shall do no service
Thus shall you do unto the Levites touching their charge
COMMENTARY:
DAILY SPIRITUAL BREAKFAST: Young Believers
: 4 And this work of the candlestick was of beaten gold, to the shaft thereof, to the flowers thereof, was beaten work: according to the pattern which the LORD had shown Moses, so he made the candlestick. (4758 “pattern” [mar’ah] means design, appearance, countenance, vision, what is seen, form, or shape)
DEVOTION: We have seen this word throughout the passages of Scripture that we have covered. Moses saw a vision of the appearance of the Temple in heaven and he followed the shape of what he saw there.
God gave him a vision to help him understand what HE wanted the Tabernacle and in the future Temple to look like especially in the holy place and the holy of holies.
Once he saw what they looked like he instructed the workers to build them according to his vision. The LORD reminded the people that Moses was following his vision on the mountain.
We are to follow the shape of Christianity that we are to have on a daily basis. Too often we try to change what Christianity looks like to please the people or society around us. That is always wrong. God has a form that HE wants Christianity to follow from day one until the return of HIS Son.
We are not be concerned about what the world wants Christianity to look like we are more concerned about what God wants our faith to look like in public and private. Christianity is a public faith that honors Christ no matter what others might think or say.
CHALLENGE: Our Bible gives us the exact look Christianity is to have to the world. We need to look like it regularly.
DAILY SPIRITUAL LUNCH: Transitional Believers
: 6 Take the Levites from among the children of Israel, and cleanse them. (2891 “cleanse” [taher] means purify, pronounce clean, to be clean, pure, scour, or be restored)
DEVOTION: The priests were consecrated while the Levites were declared ceremonially clean. There is a difference between the two. The priest could serve the LORD in the Tabernacle at this time and in the Temple in the future. The Levites only handled some of the items of the Tabernacle for which they had to be clean. The Levites were consecrated to be unique servants of the LORD.
So we have three types of individuals in the camp of the Israelites. There are the priests who served the LORD. There are the Levites who served the priests. Finally there were the people. There was division of service in the camp of Israel.
There is a division of responsibilities in the church of Jesus Christ as well. This is represented by the gifts of the Holy Spirit given to those who are genuine believers. Each gift has a responsibility. Does this mean that some people were able to be more spiritual than others? NO!! Everyone was supposed to be spiritual in the camp of Israel. It is also true that everyone should be spiritual in the church of Jesus Christ.
Each individual no matter what gift has to answer to the LORD for their use of their gift. Each is also responsible to confess their sins to the LORD regularly. All genuine believers will stand before the LORD at the Judgment seat of Christ to answer for what they did to advance the spread of the gospel throughout the world and train those who became believers.
What are you doing with your gift to advance the spread of the Word of God around the world? The Levites were not responsible for offering sacrifices to the LORD but they were important in the sight of the LORD just as much.
CHALLENGE: We are important to the LORD. Serve HIM with gladness!!!
: 14 Thus shall you separate the Levites from among the children of Israel and the Levites shall be mine. (914 “separate” [badal] means divide, sever, set apart, to make a distinction, or disjoin)
DEVOTION: The LORD took one tribe out of twelve to be reserved only to HIM for service. They were HIS full time workers. HE had reach part of the tribe of Levite given specific responsibilities for the worship of the children of Israel.
There was no doubt about who did what when HE was done giving instructions. There were no questions. They were to do what they were told or face the consequences. There were no ifs, ands, or buts.
Today we have a problem with individuals know what is expected of them. Sometimes it is because there is a lack of biblical training of all believers after they become followers of the LORD. Sometime it is just disobedience by people who know what the LORD expects of them but they refuse to serve HIM properly.
We are set apart people today just like the Levites were set apart. We are to serve the LORD with gladness each day within the field the LORD has gifted us in. Some are laborers around the church and others are laborers within the church.
If God has not called you to serve as a pastor in a local church HE still wants you to serve HIM in some capacity in the local church. Each believer is expected to bring more people into the kingdom of God and into the local church. It is not just the responsibility of the pastor to bring them all in. He should be bringing in through his ministry of visitation and other ministries.
God wants HIS work to move forward with all of the people who worship HIM. No one can sit on the sidelines. Even the other eleven tribes were given responsibility to bring things into the tabernacle to help the Levites serve the LORD.
CHALLENGE: What has God called you to do in HIS service? Are you working hard at fulfilling your responsibility today?
DAILY SPIRITUAL SUPPER: Mature Believers
: 17 For all the firstborn of the children of Israel are MINE, both man and beast: on the day that I smote every firstborn in the land of Egypt I sanctified them for MYSELF. (6942 “sanctified” [qadash] means to be holy, removed from common use, subject to special treatment, to deem to be set apart or sacred)
DEVOTION: What would happen today if all the firstborn male children of every believing family were dedicated to the LORD for HIS service? I am a firstborn child in my family. I have a firstborn son. I dedicated him to the LORD as an infant at a dedication service.
Here we have the LORD replacing the firstborn children that HE spared on the journey of the angel throughout Egypt. The firstborn of Israel, were spared, because of the blood of the lamb on the doorpost. The firstborn of Egypt, were not spared, but died that night.
The LORD replaced the firstborn with the tribe of Levi. They were HIS servants for life. They were the helpers of the priests who were part of the tribe of Levi that descended from Aaron.
Now however all those who are genuine believers are firstborns in the New Testament because all of those who are genuine believers are priests to the LORD. We are a kingdom of priests set apart for service.
CHALLENGE: So as a sanctified servant of the LORD how is your service to HIM coming? Only you can answer that question. The LORD desires us all to be faithful servants of HIM.
: 26 But shall minister with their brethren in the tabernacle of the congregation, to keep the charge, and shall do no service. Thus, shall you do to the Levites touching their charge. (8334 “minister” [shareth] means to assist, to attend as a menial or worshipper, contribute to, serve or wait on.)
DEVOTION: Retirement is something that every working person thinks about at one time or another. At what age can I retire and enjoy life. In our system, we can retire early at age 62 with some money coming in on a monthly basis. However, if we want the most that we can receive from the government we have to wait to an age over 65. Some people retire early. Others retire late. Each group has their reasons for retiring.
Now we are instructed regarding the working period in the life of a Levi. They were the ones who assisted the priests. They were the ones who took done and raised up the tabernacle in the wilderness. In the last chapter we found that one family had to carry the tabernacle on their shoulders. The work on the tabernacle was hard work.
Before the Levites could serve the LORD, they had to be cleansed. This process is described in this chapter. After they were cleansed, they could serve the LORD beginning at the age of 25. It is thought that there was a five-year training period before they were left on their own. At age fifty they were no longer required to do the hard labor of the tabernacle.
However, there is really no retirement age in our service to the LORD. The priests were to work until they were fifty and then they were to help the younger generation with the work. It was thought that they were the instructors in the training of the younger men. It was thought that they might have guarded the tabernacle from strangers coming into the area. They still had responsibilities.
We have a responsibility to let the younger generation take over our responsibilities with us by their side to help them. We are not their bosses but their helpers. We can give counsel but we need to let them make their own mistakes in the service of the LORD. How tightly are we holding the reins in our church? Are we letting the younger generation move in and take responsibility?
Some have said that it is time for the younger generation to take over so we can retire. That is the wrong attitude. God wants us to help those who are coming up to serve HIM in the local church. However, the younger generation needs to be trained properly to serve the LORD.
CHALLENGE: If you are an older Christian – are you training younger Christians in their gifted areas to serve the LORD? If you are a younger Christian – are you willing to be trained by an older Christian in the use of your gift in the local church? There is no real retirement age for believer in this Church age.
DISCIPLINES OF THE FAITH:
BODY
Chastity (Purity in living)
Fasting (Time alone with LORD without eating or drinking)
Sacrifice (Giving up something we want to serve the LORD)
Submission (Willing to listen to others and LORD)
Solitude (Going to a quiet place without anyone)
SOUL
Fellowship (Gathering together around the Word of God)
Frugality (wise use of resources)
Journalizing (Writing down what you have learned from the LORD)
Study and Meditation (Thinking through your study in the Word)
Secrecy (Doing your good deeds without others knowing but God)
SPIRIT
Celebration (Gathering around a special occasion to worship LORD)
Confession (Tell the LORD we are sorry for our sins on a daily basis)
Prayer (Conversation with God on a personal level)
Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)
Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)
Lighting the lampsverse 3
Meat offering – bullockverse 8
Sin offeringverses 8, 12
Levitesverses 9-26
Service of the LORD
Atonement for the Levites
Offering to the LORD
Separate them
Purified
Serve from 25 to 50 years old
Tabernacle of the congregationverses 9, 15, 19, 22, 24, 26
Burnt offeringverse 12
Aaron’s sonsverse 13
Atonement for children of Israelverse 19
Sanctuaryverse 19
DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:
Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)
God the Father (First person of the Godhead)
LORD (Jehovah)verses 1, 3-5, 10-13, 20-23
God the Son (Second person of the Godhead – God/man, Messiah)
God the Holy Spirit (Third person of the Godhead – our comforter)
Trinity (Three persons of the Godhead who are co-equal = ONE God)
Angels (Created before the foundation of the world – Good and Evil)
Man (Created on the sixth twenty-four hour period of creation)
Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)
Sin offeringverses 8, 12
Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)
Cleanseverses 6, 7, 15, 21
Purifiedverses 7, 21
Serviceverses 11, 15, 22, 24, 25
Atonementverses 12, 19, 21
Separateverse 14
Sanctifiedverse 17
Wait upon the serviceverse 24
Ministerverse 26
Israel (Old Testament people of God)
Mosesverses 1, 3-5, 20, 22, 23
Aaronverses 2, 11, 13, 20-22
Cleansing of the Levitiesverses 5-13
Children of Israelverses 6, 9-11, 14, 16-20
Firstborn belong to LORDverses 16-18
Avoid plague if atonement madeverse 19
Age of service: 25- 50 yrs oldverses 24, 25
Church (New Testament people of God)
Last Things (Future Events)
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QUOTES regarding passage
MENORAH* Lamp or lampstand in the tabernacle. It refers to the seven-branched lamp (candelabrum) that was to lighten the tabernacle: these seven lamps gave light in front of the lampstand (Nm 8:2). In Solomon’s temple there were ten such lampstands, five on each side before the inner sanctuary (1 Kgs 7:49). The design of the original lamp was conceived by Bezalel, the son of Uri and the grandson of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, a man filled with the Spirit of God who was an excellent craftsmen (Ex 31:1–4). Bezalel was also responsible for designing the other utensils for the tabernacle.
Exodus 25:31–40 and 37:17–24 provide us with details regarding the lamp and its decorations. Made of a single piece of pure gold and ornamented with almond flowers and knobs in the shape of apples, it consisted of a central shaft branching out into three arms on either side. Each branch was surmounted with a cup narrowed into a lip to hold the wick and the special olive oil. (Elwell, W. A., & Comfort, P. W. (2001). In Tyndale Bible dictionary. Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers)
8:6 cleanse. In contrast to the priests who were consecrated (Ex 29:1, 9), the Levites were cleansed. According to v. 7, this cleansing was accomplished by first, the sprinkling of water; second, the shaving of the body; and third, the washing of the clothes. This cleansing of the Levites made them pure so they might come into contact with the holy objects of the tabernacle. (MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (2006). The MacArthur study Bible: New American Standard Bible. (Nu 8:6). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers.)
(i) Their ceremonial cleansing (8:5–14)
5–10 This section (vv.5–14) describes the cleansing of the Levites and may be compared with the account detailing the ordination of Aaron and his sons to the priesthood (Lev 8). The Levites are helpers to the priests, and the language describing their consecration is somewhat distinct from that of the priests. The priests were made holy, the Levites clean; the priests were anointed and washed, the Levites sprinkled; the priests were given new garments, the Levites washed theirs; blood was applied to the priests, it was waved over the Levites.
One of the refrains in this section is the idea that the Levites were taken from among (mittôḵ, “from the midst of “) the people (see vv.6, 14, 16, 19). This reminds us that the Levites were distinct from the other tribes: they were to have no tribal allotment; their places of living would be spread throughout the other tribes, but they were drawn from the tribes to have a special service before the Lord in assisting the priests.
The verb ṭāhar in v.6 describes ceremonial cleansing. In the Piel stem it speaks of cleansing, making pure, of cleansing ceremonially. The verb is used, for example, in the cleansing process for the altar of incense by applying blood of a sin offering. The cleansing process of the Levites was to begin with a sprinkling of water on them rather than with a sprinkling of blood. This water is termed mê ḥaṭṭāʾṯ (lit., “water of sin,” v.7), a phrase taken to mean “water of cleansing” or “purification from sin.” A similar phrase is found in 19:9: “the water of cleansing; it is for purification from sin.” The phrase “water of sin” may also be compared with the phrase “bitter water” in 5:18, in the rite of the woman suspected of adultery.
The second factor in cleansing the Levites was shaving their entire bodies (v.7). This symbolic act speaks of the fullness of their cleansing, as in the case of the ritual cleansing of one cured of a serious skin disorder (Lev 14:8; see comments on Num 5:2). Shaving the entire body, not just the head, is in some ways a return to innocence and an initiative symbol of purity. It is well known that hair tends to be dirty; bodily hair needs to be cleansed regularly, for the follicles tend to collect and hold dirt. The ancient Egyptians were fastidious about cleanliness; upper-class Egyptians shaved their bodies regularly, then wore wigs. Egyptian priests shaved their whole bodies every other day, according to Herodotus (2.37). The cleansing of the Levites in Israel seems not to be a repeated action but an initial rite of purification. Since Semitic men were characterized generally in the ancient world by wearing beards and by ample bodily hair, shaving these men’s bodies must have been regarded as a remarkable act of devotion to God.
The third factor in cleansing the Levites was washing their garments. The verb used for washing is kāḇas (a verb meaning “to tread,” “to walk,” related to the Akkadian kabusu, “to tread down,” “to wash garments by treading”). The verb pictorially represents the ancient form of washing clothing. The same verb was used to describe the cleansing that had to be done by the whole nation when Moses was about to go to the mountain to meet with the Lord (Exod 19:10, 14). On occasion kāḇas is used in parallel with rāhaṣ (“to wash the person”; e.g., Lev 14:8; 15:5).
Following the sprinkling with water of purification, the shaving of their bodies, and the washing of their clothes, the Levites were ready for the next step in their purification: the presentation of offerings and sacrifices to God. They were each to bring two bulls along with the fine flour mixed with oil that constitutes the grain offering. This would then be presented by Moses before the Tent of Meeting, with the nation gathered to witness the event (vv.8–9). The people (their representatives) would then place their hands on the Levites (v.10) as a means of identifying with them. The Levites had come from among the people; now they were standing in their place before the Divine Presence. This was a solemn act, worthy of reflection. The Levites were the substitutes for the nation; by placing hands on them, the people of the nation were dramatically acknowledging this substitutionary act (see 8:16–18) .( Allen, R. B. (1990). Numbers. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers (Vol. 2, pp. 766–767). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.)
8:5–7. The third major element of Israel’s leadership, the Levites, now came to the forefront. To be qualified to attend to the holy ministry for which they were set apart, they had to go through a ritual cleansing (vv. 6–7) and then had offerings made on their behalf (vv. 8–19). The cleansing consisted of the sprinkling of water, probably that referred to in connection with the ashes of the red heifer (chap. 19). The second step in the cleansing was cutting all the hair on their entire bodies. This may not mean shaving, as the NIV says, for the usual Hebrew word for shave is gālâh but the words here are ’āḇar ṯa‘ar ‘al, “bring a razor on.” This seems to mean trimming the hair, not shaving it off completely. These two steps (sprinkling and trimming) represent outward purification. (Merrill, E. H. (1985). Numbers. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 1, p. 224). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)
If Aaron and his sons were the “official clergy” in the camp, serving at the altar and in the tabernacle, then the Levites were the “dedicated laity” who assisted the priests in their ministry. They were taken “from among the children of Israel” (vv. 6, 14, 16, 19) as substitutes for the firstborn males who belonged to the Lord (vv. 16–18; see 3:40–51 and Ex. 13). The Levites belonged to the Lord (Num. 8:14) and He gave them to the priests as His special gift (v. 19). The Levites cared for the tabernacle, took the structure down for each march, carried it during the march, and then erected it again in the new location.
Since they were serving God at the tabernacle, the Levites had to be set apart for the Lord. First, they were cleansed by water (vv. 5–7), but unlike the priests, were merely sprinkled and not washed all over (Ex. 29:4). It is likely that Moses and Aaron sprinkled the 22,000 Levites (Num. 3:39) collectively and not as a group. For further cleansing, the Levites were required to shave their bodies (see Lev. 14:8–9) and wash their clothes. (When consecrated to God, the priests were given special clothes to wear and weren’t required to shave. See Ex. 25:5–9.) (Wiersbe, W. W. (1999). Be counted (p. 36). Colorado Springs, CO: Chariot Victor Pub.)
Ver. 6. Take the Levites from among the children of Israel, &c.] Among whom they were mixed, as were all the tribes mixed together, as Aben Ezra says, before they took their journey from Mount Sinai; however, from hence forward, they were distinguished from Israelites, as they are both in Scripture and in Jewish writings; see 1 Chron. 9:2 though this seems to design no other but their appointment and separation to their work and service, as ministers to the priests of the Lord; and so as Aaron did not assume the honour of priesthood to himself, but was called of God, the Levites did not take the honour of their office to themselves, but had it by the appointment and call of God: and cleanse them; with water, by sprinkling the water of purification on them, and by washing their bodies and clothes with water; which outward washing was a sign of moral purity, which was necessary to their employment in the service of the sanctuary; for though there was no particular uncleanness on them, either ceremonial or moral, but what was common to men; yet it was proper, by such outward rites, to put them and others in mind, that they which are employed about holy things should be eminently pure and holy; and as their business was to carry holy things, to bear the sacred vessels of the sanctuary from place to place when needful, they ought of all men to be clean, Isa. 52:11 and in this they were emblems of the ministers of the word, who ought to be pure, as in heart, so in life and conversation, and be examples of purity to others, 2 Cor. 6:6; 1 Tim. 4:12. (Gill, J. (1810). An Exposition of the Old Testament (Vol. 1, p. 739). London: Mathews and Leigh.)
FROM MY READING:
(Remember the only author that I totally agree with is the HOLY SPIRIT in the inerrant WORD OF GOD called THE BIBLE! All other I try to gleam what I can to help me grow in the LORD!!)
NOT ASHAMED
And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming. 1 John 2:28
John has been teaching, in effect, “Beloved people, don’t believe the lie. It not only robs you of doctrine, it robs you of life; it is that which robs you of God’s greatest gift that has been made possible by the incarnation of His Son. If the eternal son had not come from God and been made flesh, if there is no union between human nature and the Son of God, how can we have a new nature?”
In 1 John 2:28 John emphasizes one final thing: “And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming.” “Don’t believe that lie,” says John in effect, “because if you do, you will find yourself face to face with it as a fact. These people have denied the truth,” says John; “don’t believe in a kind of phantom body and that the eternal God came upon a man and then left him. It is unreal,” says John, “don’t believe it. The day is coming when you will face the fact—the God-Man is coming into this world. He will come again, and then you will see Him; and if you believe that lie, you will be ashamed when you see Him.”
Writing in the Apocalypse, John says, “Every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him” (Revelation 1:7). And when they see Him they will cry out “to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us . . . from the wrath of the Lamb” (Revelation 6:16). That is a fact; this is not fancy. The God-Man will come again, and if you want to rejoice in that day, if you want to have confidence when you look at Him, and if you want to say, “Even so come, Lord Jesus,” then avoid this lie, beware of these liars who deny that Jesus is the Christ.
A Thought to Ponder: The God-Man will come again, and if you want to rejoice in that day, beware of these liars.
(From Walking with God, p. 140, by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones)
2 Corinthians 9
Christians should give generously as God has prospered them.
INSIGHT
God asks for your money, not for His sake, but for yours. What God wants is your heart, and one measure of how much of your heart He has is how willing you are to give your money back to Him. Two of God’s reasons for asking Christians to give to other Christians are to foster mutual unity and concern among believers, and to show the love of God to the unsaved. Remember, it is not the amount but the willingness that counts. Give as God has prospered you. (Quiet Walk)
My husband, Alan, stood below the towering lights illuminating the athletic field, as a member of the opposing team hit a ball into the air. With his eyes fixed on the ball, Alan ran full speed toward the darkest corner of the field—and slammed into the chain link fence.
Later that night, I handed him an ice pack. “Are you feeling okay?” I asked. He rubbed his shoulder. “I’d feel better if my buddies had warned me that I was getting near the fence,” he said.
Teams function best when they work together. Alan’s injury could have been avoided, if only one of his teammates had yelled out a warning as he approached the fence.
Scripture reminds us that members of the church are designed to work together and watch out for each other like a team. The apostle Paul tells us that God cares about how we interact with each other, because the actions of one person can impact the whole community of believers (Colossians 3:13-14). When we all embrace opportunities to serve each other, fully devoted to unity and peace, the church flourishes (v. 15).
Paul instructed his readers to “let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit” (v. 16). In this way we can inspire and protect one another through loving and honest relationships, obeying and praising God with grateful hearts—thriving together.
By Xochitl Dixon (Our Daily Bread)
Head of the Church
“And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.” (Colossians 1:18)
The “head” is both “chief” and “source.” When the Lord Jesus had accomplished the work of reconciliation on Earth, God the Father “put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all” (Ephesians 1:22-23).
The church, of course, is the assembly of the Redeemer, constituted and commissioned to do “the work of the ministry,” operating on Earth under delegated leaders (Ephesians 4:11-12). Even though the human focus is the making of disciples (Matthew 28:19-20), there is a constant gallery of “principalities and powers in heavenly places” who need the display of “the manifold wisdom of God” that is only made “known by the church” (Ephesians 3:10).
Although there is a sense in which all of God’s twice-born are spiritually part of a “body” that is “knit together” by the Holy Spirit (Colossians 2:19), our participation is realized in the localized assemblies throughout the earth. One day the entire church will be completely assembled in heaven, a “general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven” (Hebrews 12:23).
Therefore, the head of the Church is preeminent and has all fullness, being the firstborn from the dead. He is “far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come” (Ephesians 1:21). The mission of the Church, commissioned over two millennia ago, embraces an ageless goal. Ultimately, He will “present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing” (Ephesians 5:27).
(HMM III, The Institute for Creation Research)
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