Their ancestor Balaam had foretold that a star would come forth from Jacob (Numbers 24:17), saying, I see him but not now. I behold him, but not near. Numbers 24:17a And since that time, the magi had watched the heavens. In Balaam’s time, it was Balak the King of Moab who trembled at the sightContinue reading “A Star from Jacob: Balaam and the Magi”
Category Archives: Numbers
Valley of the Cluster
Thus says the Lord,“As the new wine is found in the cluster,And one says, ‘Do not destroy it, for there is benefit in it,’So I will act on behalf of My servantsIn order not to destroy all of them.Isaiah 65:8 I am so fascinated by the fruits of the Bible, especially grapes. It was the Nazirites that first drewContinue reading “Valley of the Cluster”
Iron and Rock
Along with my favs – grapes and hair – I’ve been tracking rocks and iron. So imagine my joy when I came across this text in 1 Kings, when Solomon builds the Temple. The stones used in the construction of the Temple were finished at the quarry, so there was no sound of hammer, ax,Continue reading “Iron and Rock”
The Gospel of the Nazirites
31 Do not look on the wine when it is red, When it sparkles in the cup, When it goes down smoothly;32 At the last it bites like a serpent And stings like a viper. 33 Your eyes will see strange things And your mind will utter perverse things. Proverbs 23:31-33 Art and literature play a powerful role in how we read and experienceContinue reading “The Gospel of the Nazirites”
Who Cares about Hair Length? Also, Nazirites
Let me start by saying that I couldn’t care less how men and women wear their hair in contemporary society. And I don’t think God cares either, so long as the heart is in the right place (honouring God, loving others). As Paul reminds us in 1 Corinthians 10, Everything is permissible”, but not everythingContinue reading “Who Cares about Hair Length? Also, Nazirites”
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