Salvogesis

In 1957 the average cost of a brand new house in North American was only about $12 000. A gallon of gas only cost $0.24 and this was good because the average wage (even figuring into the equation the big bucks that CEOs made) was only $4.50 an hour. 1957 Canada was different in other ways too: Canadians were swearing oaths on the Bible and meaning it; officially breaking one’s marriage covenant through divorce was rare; and people, more or less, did what they said they would do. The proverb applied: a man’s word was his bond. Today we are going to look a little bit at oaths, vows, and covenants. [2] (For more on this I will mention quickly my book, Praise The Lord For Covenants . If you want to look into this topic more after the service today, let me know.) [3] Today we are looking at Numbers Chapter 30. Ronald B. Allen reminds us that, “This chapter is a significant Old Testament text on the subject of the vows.” [4] And Numbers 30:1-2, “Moses said to the heads of the tribes of...

The other day a good soldier came into my office as I am  about to be transferred and he asked me to interrogate him. He wanted me to help him discern if he has been a good soldier and a good christian. Another officer had done this for him in the past. It was important to him so I agreed. I complimented the soldier on his musical abilities and willingness to perform for the Army at food banks, soup kitchens, talent nights, and Sunday services. I encouraged him in his faithfulness in participating in our 7am prayer walks around our community every week. I told him I was pleased with his regular reading of the Word. I asked him how he was progressing at managing his temper. He said he was doing fine. The very next day this same friend called me to complain against God and his fellow saints because he was not receiving the sort of attention he felt he deserved. He felt that he was being left out of ministry opportunities and was quite upset. We followed up on our conversation fro...

Reading Numbers 3, we note that two of Aaron’s children have died: his oldest two sons “fell dead before the LORD when they made an offering with unauthorized fire before Him in the Desert of Sinai . They had no sons; so only Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests during the lifetime of their father Aaron” (Num 3:3,4; cf. Lev.10:1). Just as the whole generation who left Egypt will die in their sins before they enter the Promised Land (except Joshua and Caleb), two of Aaron’s children including his first-born son die here before the LORD. Scholar Ronald B. Allen ( The Expositors Bible Commentary , Version 4.0.2) comments on this passage: “‘Unauthorized fire’ translates a Hebrew expression that is seemingly deliberately obscure, as though the narrator finds the very concept to be distasteful... The essential issue here is that Nadab and Abihu were using fire that the Lord had not commanded (Lev 10:1). The pain of the account is strengthened by its brevity and mystery. We are le...

Salvationists have sometimes been compared to the Nazirites of the Old Testament. The Nazirites, like us, are people bound by a covenant to the Lord. One aspect of their oath that obviously parallels our soldiership covenant is the promise to abstain from alcohol. Another parallel is that both Nazirites and Salvationists are easily identified as such. Salvationists have their uniform; Nazirites wore their hair long. A third aspect of the Nazirite vow which I suggest has applications for our soldiership covenant – though less immediately obvious – is their prohibition against contact with dead bodies. Numbers 6:7 states specifically that the Nazirite is not to come in contact with a dead body, even if the deceased person is the Nazirite’s own parent. The Nazirite is not allowed even to attend a funeral ceremony. Ordinarily, the Israelites have important responsibilities pertaining to the passing of one’s parents, even though it would make them ceremonially unclean (Numbers 5:2, 19:1...

The following is allegedly from the US Government Peace Corps Manual for its volunteers who work in the Amazon Jungle. It tells what to do in case an anaconda attacks you: 1. If you are attacked by an anaconda do not run. The snake is faster than you are. 2. Lie flat on the ground. Put your arms tight against your sides, your legs tight against one another. 3. Tuck your chin in. 4. The snake will come and begin to nudge and climb over your body. 5. Do not panic. 6. After the snake has examined you, it will begin to swallow you from your feet and always from the end. Permit the snake to swallow your feet and ankles. Do not panic. 7. The snake will now begin to swallow your legs into its body. You must lie perfectly still. This will take a long time. 8. When the snake has reached your knees, slowly and with as little movement as possible, reach down, take your knife and very gently slide it into the side of the snake’s mouth between the edge of its mouth and your leg, ...