Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Numbers 28-29 & Psalm 31

In some material that might seem repetitious of Leviticus, Numbers 28 provides guidance for offerings that Israel is to provide to God including daily offerings, Sabbath, monthly, Passover and the Festival of Weeks. Not much new hear or anything really to comment on, but notice the the Festival of Weeks takes place 50 days following the Passover, hence Pentecost. Since most Christians tend to think of Pentecost as just a Christian celebration, notice that it has a long history in the tradition of Israel.

Numbers 29 continues with these offerings, including more special day festivals. Offerings are to be provided on the Festival of Trumpets which is the New Years celebration that we know as Rosh Hashanah, seven days later is the Day of Atonement, Yom Kippur. Also listed is the Festival of the Booths or sukkoth. These two chapters really list out the liturgical calendar for Israel, and while there are some additional festival and days that are commemorate, for the most part the events listed in Numbers 28 and 29 still guide the year for synagogues.

Psalm 31

If you were to diagram the Psalm you might lay it out as a prayer for help which opens with thanksgiving, contains a lament, has expressions of confidence and closes with thanksgiving for prayers that are answered.

Within the Psalm, verse 5 offers the final words that Jesus offers to God in Lukan account of the Crucifixion. The petition is found in verses 9 to 13 which contains physical and social distress. An additional plea is then found in verses 14-18 in which the psalmist asks for God to "let your face shine" or to show favor or blessing.

The Psalm then closes with songs of thanksgiving, either the prayer was answered or the psalmist strongly believes that this will be the case.

This Psalm clearly demonstrates the belief that Israel holds about God, that God is a saving God and does so in the very present.

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