Leviticus: Seedbed of NT Theology

[crossnote]

Yes and a horse is a horse of "course" <-------------crossnote looky!

Unless it is a hoarse of coarse.

 

[Elin]

You two horsing around with this thread?

 

[Elin]

CHAPTER 12 - Personal Defilement (Childbirth)

v.2 - childbirth made the woman (and the child) unclean

• shows the corruption of the fallen nature that is produced in natural birth
• shows that we are born defiled (in sin) - Ps 51:5; Eph 2:3; Col 2:13

v. 2 - during the days of uncleanness (7-14 days), the woman was separated from her husband and friends, and those who took care of her were ceremonially unclean

v. 3 - during the days of her purification (33-66 days), the woman was separated from the sanctuary and forbidden to eat the Passover (partake of the holy things)

• picture of sin in which we are born shutting us out forever from God, had God not provided a way to purify us, make us clean in Christ (Ps 51:5; Eph 2:3; Col 2:13)

v. 5 - longer time of uncleanness and purification for birth of a daughter

• reminder of the special sentence upon the woman because she was the first to sin (Ge 3:16; 1Tim 2:12, 14-15), and led Adam into sin

v. 6 - after days of purification, the woman must offer two sacrifices

• sin offering was the same for rich or poor - pigeon or dove
• burnt offering varied - lamb (rich); dove or pigeon (poor)

Jesus and Mary were required to go through the purification ceremony (Lk 2:22-23), even though Jesus was not born in sin

• because Jesus submitted to all the Law (Mt 3:15)

"Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord." (Lk 2:23)

• Just as the gospel was announced to Abraham (Gal 3:8), so, in the consecration of the firstborn male, . .

• the gospel was announced to Israel
• 1) God bought back (redeemed) from the destroying angel all the firstborn of Israel, both men and animals, in the tenth plague (Ex 12:21-29)
• 2) because God purchased (bought) them from death, they were his by right of purchase (Ex 13:1, 12-15, 22:29)
• 3) therefore, all firstborn animals were consecrated (given over to God) by sacrifice (Ex 13:15)
• 4) unless it was an unclean animal, which was either redeemed (bought back) or destroyed (Ex 13:13, 34:20)
• 5) and all firstborn sons were consecrated to God for full-time service to him (Ex 13:2)
• 6) God then substituted the Levites and their livestock for consecration to his full-time service
  in place of the firstborn sons of Israel and their firstborn livestock (Nu 3:9-13, 41, 44-51),
  and gave the substituted Levites as gifts to Aaron and his sons (priests) for their aides, and for a protective hedge for the community against trespassing near the tabernacle (Nu 1:53, 8:15-19)
• 7) God then gave to the Levites his right to ownership of all firstborn males, both men and animals (Nu 18:14-15)
• 8) therefore, all the firstborn sons of Israel had to be bought back (redeemed) from the Levites for five shekels of silver (Ex 13:13, 30:12; Nu 18:15-16)

PURE GOSPEL: prefigure of the church of the firstborn (Heb 12:23) - (following item numbers correspond to previous items)

• 1) who have been delivered from the destroying angel (Satan - 1Pe 5:8; Jn 10:10)
• 2) and bought back (redeemed) from eternal death (Eph 2:15; Col 2:13)
• 6) by Christ, our (Levite) priest, who was substituted for us (Mt 20:28)
• 2) and to which church of the firstborn (redeemed), God has exclusive right by purchase (1Co 6:20, 7:23; Ac 20:28b; 1Pe 2:9; Rev 5:9, 14:4)
• 5) and who, therefore, are to be consecrated to the Lord (Ro 6:13; 2Co 5:15)

And

• 4) prefigure of the destruction of all the unclean who are not redeemed/consecrated by faith in Jesus Christ (Jn 3:18, 36; Heb 12:14)

Both prefigures are gospel.

• BIBLICAL PRINCIPLE: God redeemed us for consecration and holiness (Tit 2:14; 1Th 4:3-8; 2Th 2:13; 1Co 6:20).

The unclean persons of the NT are all those who do not trust on the saving work of Jesus Christ and who, therefore, are not cleansed of their sin by his atoning sacrifice.

 

[Abiding]

You two horsing around with this thread?

Crossnote is oldest he should know better

 

[BarlyGurl]

You two horsing around with this thread?

He prolly can't talk now either from all that neighing... he's prolly hoarse...

 

[zone]

Dịch vụ thám tử tư điều tra hàng giả, hàng nhái

where are the N.A.R. translators when ya need 'em?

 

[BarlyGurl]

Dịch vụ thám tử tư điều tra hàng giả, hàng nhái


Well Claytoz that is really helpful....thank you...

 

[Elin]

CHAPTER 13 - Personal Defilement (Skin Diseases), Garments

Skin diseases are a good picture of defilement (sin) because they all show visible defects, the skin is disfigured and marred (spiritual effects of sin).

v. 2 - skin disease was not true leprosy (Hansen's disease), symptoms are not those of Hansen's disease, and we read of no one dying of leprosy in the Bible, as they do of Hansen's disease

v. 4 - disease which was only skin deep was not leprosy

• picture of sin in the believer
• does not penetrate to the soul, because the mind still serves the law of God and the inner man delights in God (Ro 7:22-25), but which still
• must be taken seriously and radically dealt with (Mk 9:43-48)

• BIBLICAL PRINCIPLE: As God requires OT physical blemishes to be taken seriously, so he requires NT moral blemishes to be taken seriously (1Co 5:6-7).

v. 9 - "show yourself to the priest" - the priest could only diagnose leprosy, he had no power to take it away

• picture of the Law, which can only diagnose sin, it has no power to take it away
• Christ does what the Law cannot do, he cleansed the lepers, to show that he cleanses sin (Mt 11:2-6)

v. 13 - skin disease covering the whole body was harmless, a sign of a healthy body throwing off infection (as in chicken pox)

vv. 45-46 - diagnosis of skin disease was a living death sentence

• must adopt the posture of a mourner
• live outside the camp, with no hope of returning
• cut off from spiritual fellowship in the Temple and with the covenant people
• in a natural sense, without hope and without God, in the world
• picture of fallen mankind's spiritual condition--cast out and cut off from God, "without hope and without God in the world" (Eph 2:12-13), in living (eternal) death

v. 45 - "Unclean! Unclean!" - was all the Law could teach the leper to cry

• Gospel teaches the leper (sinner) to make another cry - "Jesus, have mercy on us!" (Lk 17:11-14)

• BIBLICAL PRINCIPLE: The Law only shows us our disease (sin). The Gospel shows us our healing (forgiveness) in Jesus Christ, our High Priest.

CLEAN AND UNCLEAN GARMENTS:

vv. 51-57 - symptoms for permanent uncleanness (destructive mildew)

• spreading mildew
• not affected by washing

Cleansing of Unclean Garments:

vv. 54, 58 - cleansing was by washing only, no purification ceremony required for cleansed garments as in cleansed houses (14:48-53)

vv. 48, 52 - permanent uncleanness (destructive mildew) affected entire article, was not affected by washing - only solution was destruction by burning

• picture of the sin of our fallen nature which pollutes the entire person
• if it is not cleansed by faith in the blood of Jesus Christ (Ro 3:25)
• and whose only solution is destruction by burning in the lake of fire (Rev 20:15)

v. 56 - garments cleansed of mildew must have contaminated parts torn out

• picture of those who have been cleansed by washing in the blood of Jesus (Heb 9:14; 1Jn 1:7; Rev 7:14), but
• whose sin still must be radically dealt with, and cut off (Mk 9:43-48)

 

[zone]

v. 9 - "show yourself to the priest" - the priest could only diagnose leprosy, he had no power to take it away

[*]picture of the Law, which can only diagnose sin, it has no power to take it away

[*]Christ does what the Law cannot do, he cleansed the lepers, to show that he cleanses sin (Mt 11:2-6)

oh...wow.

this study is more than a study, Elin.
it's a whole other level.
ty.
love k

 

[Ariel82]

yaaah Leviticus been meaning to read that book again will put on reading list after Luther sermons

 

[Elin]

CHAPTER 14 - Personal Defilement (Cleansing), Houses

Chp. 14 continues the meaning and picture of sin given in the regulations for personal defilement (skin diseases), its cleansing, and in the regulations for clean and unclean houses.

• BIBLICAL PRINCIPLE: God redeemed us for consecration and holiness (Tit 2:14; 1Th 4:3-8; 2Th 2:13; 1Co 6:20).

The unclean persons of the NT are all those who do not trust on the saving work of Jesus Christ and who, therefore, are not cleansed of their sin by his atoning sacrifice.

v. 3 - priest went outside the camp to the leper

• our priest, Christ, came to us from within the heavenly camp

v. 4 - leper cleansed, in prefigure of the gospel, with

• live bird fastened to cedar stick - - - - Christ on the cross,
• scarlet yarn - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -whose shed blood
• hyssop - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -is applied by faith

vv. 5-7 - all of the above were dipped in

• blood of a slain bird - - - - - - - - - - - -blood of slain Christ
• then leper sprinkled with the blood - - cleanses
• seven times- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -completely,
• and live bird released - - - - - - - - - - taking away sin (1Jn 1:7)

v. 3 - priest judges the lepers clean or unclean - allows the leper to live in the camp of God's people, or casts him out

• our High Priest, Jesus Christ, is the judge of all men (Jn 5:22), admitting into the heavenly camp, or casting out (Mt 25:31-34, 41, 46)

NU 19:1-10 - WATER OF CLEANSING (similar ceremony using red heifer for cleansing of defilement by dead bodies)

v. 2-5 - heifer completely burned, but was not a sacrifice, because

• slaughtered outside the camp (v. 3) instead of in the courtyard (Lev 4:4)
• no laying on of hands to transfer sin (Lev 1:4)
• blood was burned (v. 5), not poured out (Lev 4:7)

v. 6 - cedar wood, hyssop, scarlet wool burned with red heifer - symbols of sprinkled (by hyssop) sacrificial blood of Christ (Heb 10:22)

v. 9 - ashes of burned heifer, cedar wood, hyssop, scarlet wool were added to the water to make it cleansing water

• ashes were regularly used as scouring powder
• in the NT, the waters of baptism are the washing of regeneration (Tit 3:5) in the blood of Christ (Rev 7:13-4)

vv. 9-13 - ashes both polluted those who were clean and cleansed those who were polluted

• regarded as a mystery which even Solomon himself did not understand
• Christ was defiled by our sin which he bore on the cross (1Pe 2:24), and cleansed our sin

vv. 8, 10 - those who burned the red heifer and those that gathered the ashes were made unclean

• those were made unclean who had a hand in the death of Christ

• BIBLICAL PRINCIPLE: In baptism, the blood of Christ washes away our sin (Ac 22:16) and cleanses our consciences of guilt (Heb 10:22).

(end of Water of Cleansing ceremony in Nu 19:1-10, back to cleansing of leper in Leviticus)

vv. 8-9 - leper washes and shaves his whole body clean twice - making him like a new-born baby

• the NT cleanses by the washing of rebirth (Tit 3:5)

vv. 14, 17-18 - blood applied to leper from head to toe, then oil applied to leper on top of blood, and also put on top of guilt offering

• blood - Christ's atoning blood (Ro 3:5) which cleanses from all sin (1Jn 1:7)
• oil - Holy Spirit's healing of sin (1Pe 2:24) from head to toe - the healing of sin is the forgiveness of sin (Ps 103:3)
• oil applied to leper must have blood under it, as its base
• in the NT, the blood of Christ is the basis of all cleansing and healing of sin by the Holy Spirit

v. 16 - oil sprinkled with finger before the Lord in the Holy Place seven times before applying to leper

• to sanctify it for anointing

v. 5 - water symbolizes cleansing of sin, the washing of regeneration and renewal by the Holy Spirit (Tit 3:5)

• water applied to the leper must have blood in it
• all NT graces of the Spirit are due to the blood of Christ applied by faith in his atoning blood (Ro 3:25)

vv. 23-24 - ceremony for cleansing of leper same as cleansing of priest at ordination (8:23)

• we are all lepers in God's sight without cleansing blood of Christ applied by faith (Gal 3:22)

vv. 21-22 - sacrifice for the poor - one male lamb and two doves or pigeons could be substituted for two male lambs and one ewe lamb

CLEAN AND UNCLEAN HOUSES:

v. 34 - only explanation for the spreading mildew affecting houses is that it was from God

• both mildew and skin diseases were regarded as a judgment on sin because both required the same purification ceremony
  (vv. 3-7, 49-53)

v. 34 - even in the promised land, houses would be infected with mildew

• promised land - picture of eternal life on earth
• mildew - picture of sin in the believer possessing eternal life on earth

Cleansing of Unclean House:

vv. 40-42 - curable mildew in the house required infected stones to be torn out and thrown away

• NT parallel - sin in the believer, must be dealt with radically, and cut off (Mt 5:29-30)

vv. 43-45 - permanent uncleanness required house to be torn down and removed

• NT parallel - destruction of all the permanently unclean who do not wash in the blood of the Lamb through faith; i.e.,
• it will bring their house down

vv. 48-53 - purification ceremony for cleansed house same as ceremony for cleansed person (vv. 3-7)

• because mildew in the house is like sin in the heart (person); that is
• it must not just be swept clean (Lk 11:24-26), but washed clean by washing of rebirth (Tit 3:5), because
• swept clean is just reformation. . . . . . .washed clean is regeneration

• BIBLICAL PRINCIPLE: We must not rest in a clean religious life only, but take care that our hearts are truly surrendered to Christ and indwelt by the Holy Spirit through the washing of rebirth (Tit 3:5)

 

[Elin]

CHAPTER 15 - Personal Defilement (Bodily Discharges) - Corruption of Mankind

In Chp 15, we come to the end of the powerful gospel truths given in the regulations for the third leg, holiness (righteousness), of the "three-legged stool" which constitutes God's remedy for sin.
Note that a three-legged stool cannot accomplish its purpose if a leg is missing. One or two legs won't do.
The final regulations regard the uncleanness of bodily discharges, and are a
picture of the Biblical doctrine of the corruption of mankind (Ge 6:5-7, 8:21; Ro 3:9-11).

vv. 1-12 - all bodily discharges, without exception, made the man unclean, and his uncleanness made whatever he touched unclean, and whatever touched what he touched was unclean

• picture of the contagion of sin, which defiles its host and easily spreads to the practice of others

• BIBLICAL PRINCIPLE: Openly-practiced sin should not be tolerated in the body of believers, it should be expelled from among their fellowship (1Co 5:9-13; 1Tim 5:20).

REMINDER: ceremonial uncleanness was not moral defilement, but was to teach, in symbol and type, the nature of moral defilement

• spiritual uncleanness
• separates from God
• must be cleansed

vv. 12:2, 15:19 - sexual intercourse (Ex 19:15; 1Sa 21:4) and childbirth were defiling

• to show that we are conceived in sin (Ps 51:5) and born in sin (Eph 2:3)
• picture of the Biblical doctrine of the ORIGIN of man's corrupt nature, he is born in (original) sin - Eph 2:3; Mt 7:11; Ro 7:18; Jn 3:18, 36

vv. 19-30 - all bodily discharges, without exception, made the woman unclean, and her uncleanness made whatever she touched unclean, and whatever touched what she touched was unclean

vv. 1-30 - everything that comes from within (unregenerated) mankind is unclean (Ex 28:38; Is 64:6).

• picture of the Biblical doctrine of the EXTENT of the corruption of unregenerate mankind's nature, it is total (Ge 6:5-7, 8:20-22, Ro 3:9-12, 7:18, 8:7; Mt 7:11, Jn 2:24-25)

vv. 5-8, 10-13, 16-18, 21-22, 27 - cleansing from

• normal discharges required washing the clothes and bathing the body with water
• abnormal discharges also required a sin and a burnt offering

v. 31 - principle, purpose and promise of cleanliness laws:

• PRINCIPLE - - -separate yourselves from uncleanness (sin)
• PURPOSE - - - -so you will not die for defiling the presence of God (tabernacle where God dwelt among them - 16:16)
• PROMISE - - - -and I will dwell among you (2Co 6:17-18)

SUMMARY: Chps 1-15 deal with the

QUESTION: How does sinful man approach a holy God so as to have fellowship with him?

ANSWER: the GOSPEL

Chps. 1-7 - - - - by sacrifice, substitutionary penal atonement - accepted on the basis of its perfection
Chps. 8-10 - - - through the mediation of the High Priest - accepted on the basis of his performance
Chps. 11-15 - - in personal cleanness (righteousness, holiness: set apart--from sin, and to God)

all of which are the pattern (Heb 8:5, 10:1; Col 2:17) of God's one remedy in the NT, his only Son, Jesus Christ.

Tabernacle will be next.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

If you have benefited from the content of these posts, you will greatly benefit from their major reference source, Matthew Henry's six-volume Commentary on the Whole Bible (not the abridged single volume, which omits much that is important). These volumes are not just commentary, they are rich devotional reading.

Charles Spurgeon said of the six-volume set, "Every minister ought to read Matthew Henry entirely and carefully through at least once."

George Whitefield read it through four times, literally on his knees.

Matthew Henry digs deep into God's Word and sees truths there that are hidden from most of us until he shows them. His Commentary is unparalleled.

In the faith,
Elin

 

[Abiding]

nice to have a hideout thread away from the dreams and visions and prophetesses
think ill take a deep breath pour a cup and read some

 

[Abiding]

Tabernacle..nice.

 

[Elin]

THE TABERNACLE:

A fitting accompaniment to the powerful gospel truths given in the sacrifices, priesthood and cleansings are those given in the Tabernacle.
So following are the Scriptural facts and figures regarding the Tabernacle.

The courtyard for the Tabernacle was 150 ft. long and 75 ft. wide, with sides of white linen, and the entrance on the east.

The sanctuary dominating the west end of the courtyard was 45 ft. long and 15 feet wide, divided into two rooms,

• the Holy Place (30' X 15'), with the golden table for the bread of the Presence, golden lampstand, and golden altar of incense,
• and the Most Holy Place (15' X 15'), with the gold covered Ark of the Covenant and its solid gold cover, which contained the gold jar of manna, Aaron's staff that had budded, and the stone tablets of the covenant (Heb 9:3-4),
• formed as one with the solid gold cover were two solid gold cherubim of the Glory overshadowing the atonement cover,
• then the two rooms were separated by a shieldiing curtain made of the same embroidered linen as the ephod worn by the High Priest.

A large laver (basin) on a stand, was located in front of the sanctuary on the east, where the priests washed their hands and feet and
the meat of the sacrifices (Lev 8:21, 9:14).

The brazen altar, where the sacrifices were burned, was located in front of the laver to the east, and dominated the east half of the courtyard.

SYMBOLS:

1. Courtyard - picture of Christ

• sides of white linen - righteousness, purity
• east gate - points to Christ (Rev 22:16)
• altar - atonement for sin, forgiveness (Eph 1:7)
• basin - cleansing of sin, regeneration (Tit 3:5)

2. Holy Place - picture of fellowship with God in Christ

• candlestick - Holy Spirit who illumines Christ to us
• table of showbread - Christ, our complete provision
• gold altar of incense - intercession of Christ for us

3. Most Holy Place - picture of God on his throne

• Ark of the Testimony - testimony to their covenant with God, and to their sin
  • contained two new stone tablets engraved by the finger of God with the Ten Commandments (Ex 31:18; Dt 10:2)
  • covenant to be their God was conditioned on obedience to those commandments (Ex 19:5; Jer 11:4-5, 7:23; Lev 26:3 w/12; Hos 1:8-9)
  • contained jar of manna - testimony to their sin of grumbling (Ex 16:2-4, 33)
  • contained Aaron's staff - testimony to their sin in Korah' rebellion against the priesthood (Nu 16:1-3, 17:10)

• Atonement (to cover) Cover - throne where God sits (Ps 99:1; Ex 25:22; 1Sa 4:4; 2Sa 6:2)
  • two angels - Justice and Righteousness, which are the foundation of his throne (Ps 89:14, 97:2)
  • God sits in judgment on their sin in the Ark, therefore: Throne of God is Judgment Seat.
  • Atonement Cover also covers their sin in the Ark, therefore: Throne of God is also Mercy Seat.

Picture of the throne of God (Mt 24:31) which is both the Judgment Seat of the nations and
the Mercy Seat of the sons of God (Mt 24:32-34, 41).

4. Tabernacle - picture of Jn 14:6, the only way to God (Most Holy Place)

• through the east gate - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -through Christ, the gate
• . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (Jn 10:70),
• by the altar- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -by his shed blood
• . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (Ro 5:9)
• to the basin- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - --which washes away
• . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . sin (Ac 22:16)
• into the Holy Place- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - admitting us into
• . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .fellowship with God
• . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(1Jn 1:3),
• where the light of the candlestick- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - where the Holy Spirit
• . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .illumines Christ to us
• . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(Jn 16:14-15),
• illumines the show bread- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -who is our complete
• . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .provision (Jn 6:34;
• . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(Php 4:19),
• and the gold altar of incense- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - --who always lives to
• . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .intercede for us
• . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(Heb 7:25),
• and in the NT, through the torn shielding curtain (Mk 15:38)- - - - --and whose body was
• . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .torn to open the way
• into the Most Holy Place- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - to the throne of grace
• . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(Heb 10:19-20).

And so it is, that with the pictures (not just words) given in Leviticus 1-15 and in the Tabernacle, God preserves over time his powerful NT gospel truths from misunderstanding, alteration or corruption.

 

[Abiding]

 

[Abiding]

 

[Abiding]

 

[Elin]

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -WEST - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - EAST - - - - - - - - - - - -

Well, that's a wonderful image of, and calls for a presentation of

THE ENCAMPMENT:

(Nu 2. . .and con't in next post are Nu 3-4, 9:15-23, 10:11-33)

1. Israel came out of Egypt in rank and file, armed for battle (Ex 13:18, KJV margin)

2. likewise for the march to the Jordan to take possession of Canaan, Israel was organized into a marching army (Nu 2:34, 10:14-28) and a military camp of four divisions (Nu 2:3-34)
​

• BIBLICAL PRINCIPLE: God is a God of order, and not of confusion. (1Co 14:13)

• picture of the church militant, soldiers of Christ (2Ti 2:3), engaged in spiritual warfare (Eph 6:11; 1Ti 1:18; 2Ti 4:7) to take hold of the crown of eternal life (1Ti 6:2)

3. each division had a lead tribe whose leader was the captain of the division,
each division had a standard (Eze 1:10, Rev 4:7), and each tribe had a banner, corresponding in color to the 12 precious stones in the breastplate of the High Priest (Ex 28:15-21);
(stone order probably corresponds to the tribe order (#6, below), so that the banner for the tribe of Judah was ruby red)

• picture of Christ, the banner to which the sons (troops) of God rally (Isa 11:10, 12; cf Is 5:26, 49:22, 62:10)
• picture of God's (precious-stones) treasure (Ex 19:5; Dt 7:6), portion (Dt 32:9) and inheritance (Dt 4:20; 1Kgs 8:51; Ps 33:12; Eph 1:8) in Christ

4. each man was to camp under his standard (Nu 2:2) with his division, and not where he may please

PERSONAL APPLICATION: It is God who determines the times and places of our lives (Ac 17:26), who chooses our lot and our inheritance for us (Nu 34:13, 33:54; Ps 47:4), and we are to rest satisfied in them (Heb 13:5; Php 4:11-13).

5. the camp was 12 miles square, with streets and lanes, the tabernacle in the center, and was organized under a heirarchy of leaders (Ex 18:25-26)

• picture of the New Jerusalem of Rev 21:9 (the Bride of Christ, the Church triumphant), which is 12,000 stadia (1,400 mi) long, wide and high, with the Lord Almighty and the Lamb in the center of its Temple, "with no sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light (like the sun), and the Lamb is its lamp" (Rev 21:23)

6. the four divisions camped at a distance around the tabernacle (Nu 2:2)

• Judah was the lead tribe), of the east division (Issachar, Zebulon), and its standard was a lion (Nu 2:3-9)
• --Messiah was the lion of Judah (Rev 5:5; cf Ge 49:8-10)
• Reuben was the lead tribe of the south (2nd) division (Simeon, Gad), and its standard was a man (Nu 2:10-16)
• Ephraim was the lead tribe of the west (3rd) division (Manasseh, Benjamin), and its standard was an ox (Nu 2: 18-24)
• Dan was the lead tribe of the north (4th) division, (Asher, Naphtali), and its standard was an eagle (Nu 2:25-31)

• picture of the throne of heaven (tabernacle mercy seat) surrounded by the four standards (living creatures - Rev 4:2-11) over whom is the Banner of Love (SofS 2:4)

PERSONAL APPLICATION:In the New Testament we are invited to come near with confidence (Heb 4:16, 10:19; Eph 3:12) to the glorious throne which is our tabernacle mercy seat (Jer 17:12).

 

[Abiding]

Missed ya, think i need to go get a buritto to read with