Fri.’s Devo - Q & A’s

Read: Numbers 4:1-5:31; Mark 12:18-37; Psalm 48:1-14; Proverbs 10:26 The men who were eligible to serve in the Tabernacle had to be 30-50 years of age. The three clans or families were the Kohathites, the Merarites, and the Gerhonites. The family of Kohath were in charge of the things that related to the most sacred objects: the Ark of the Covenant, its curtains, the furniture in the Holy Place and its coverings and instruments and the burnt altar. They were to carry all the furniture on poles and never touch it. Eleazar, Aaron’s son was responsible of the oil and the incense. He was responsible for the Kohathites. Aaron was responsible to see that they never do anything that would cause the Kohathites to die, like looking at the Ark. The Geshonites were responsible for the general severe and carrying loads. They carried all the furniture after the Kohathites covered it with its designated cloths. They reported directly to Ithamar, Aaron’s son. The Merarite division carried the frames of the Tabernacle and the building material for the outer Tabernacle. They were also directly under Ithamar. There was repercussion for doing anything wrong to another person. If they confessed of their wrong, they were to pay the person full restitution and add a fifth to it. They also had to make it right with the Lord by offering him a sacrifice. If a husband suspected his wife of being unfaithful but had no witnesses to prove it there was a ceremony to find out if she was guilty or not. This was to protect the innocent and to rightly judge the guilty. She was to stand trial before the Lord. The priest would take some holy water from the laver in a clay jar and pour dust into it. The priest would write the curses of adultery on a piece of leather and wash it in the water. The woman was then to drink the water. The priest would make a sacrifice on the altar of the flour. The water would bring a curse to her body if she was guilty and would not be able to if she was innocent. The curse was that her abdomen would swell up like she was pregnant but there would be no baby inside. She would have an immediate reaction to the water. Her womb would shrink making her sterile. There would be no question as to if she was guilty or innocent. If she was innocent she would have no affects from the water and be able to bear a baby. In Mark, Jesus continues to be examined. The Sadducees came to him with a question about the resurrection which they did not believe in, but they wrapped it in a question about marriage and death. Jesus saw straight through their question and answered both. He told them they were grossly wrong in their belief about the resurrection because Moses spoke of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob as being alive. Jesus also answered their question about marriage. We won’t marry each other in heaven. A non-Sadducee leader saw how wisely Jesus had answered their question and had one of his own. He wanted to know which of the commandments Jesus thought was the most important. Jesus nailed that one also. He said that the greatest was to love the Lord with all your heart, soul, and mind and strength and the next greatest was to love your neighbor as yourself. Those two commandments covered all the rest of the commandments. When the man agreed with Jesus, Jesus perceived that this man was sincere and told him that he was not far from the Kingdom of God. He was not far from believing. The last question they asked Jesus was about the synagogue teaching that the Messiah would be the son of David. Jesus dispelled this teaching by quoting David calling the Messiah his Lord. How could his Lord be his son? Lord, may were have eyes to see and understand your Word like you meant for it to be understood.