Encounters of the Numbers kind...
My dearest hubby, Ian, has been making an effort to read the whole bible word for word. He has finished NT and is now at OT. Book of Numbers is his current reading material.
We were talking last night after dinner about how we have come very far in understanding symbols and types in the bible since we started attending New Creation Church some 3 years ago. Before NCC, we were reading the bible but not really understanding it fully. The bible was just the bible. Now we see the bible as God's love letter to us and we can read it in greater depth and understanding.
Even then some books of the bibles are still a challenge to read, but instead of feeling like skipping them, we have come to want to understand the symbolisms behind each name, each phrase and each number. It is a good hunger I feel. =)
So Ian was sharing on how Numbers can be very hard to read esp because of all the Census taking and stuff. =D I was suggesting he check up the bible dictionary we have at home, the various other references like those on bible symbols and types, etc.
As we chatted and discussed on what could possibly be meant by certain sentences, numbers, etc... I suddenly felt super blessed! I have a husband I can talk about the matters of God with and that I can fellowship with. I mean we talk about Kaelen, family, directors, movies, work, food (lol) and all... but beyond that we are able to pray together, anoint each other, take communion together and talk about bible symbolisms together. What a rich relationship in Christ! Thank You Abba!!! =D Thank You Jesus!!!
In fact Kae is also beginning to see that there is more to the bible than meets the eye. He was reading a paragraph talking about King David the other day in the bible guide that I got him when he went "OH!" He then told me how the guide didn't mention something he felt was very important. I was like "What's that?" He then drew parallels, all 6 years old of him, between King David and Jesus. David was a shepherd, Jesus was a shepherd; David was born in Bethlehem, Jesus was born in Bethlehem; David was a King, Jesus is a King... and he began to come to his own conclusion that David might be representative of Jesus in the OT!! Again I must say - THANK YOU ABBA FOR THE REVELATION TO THE LITTLE ONE! =D
So back to Numbers.... I've decided to try reading Numbers again so we can talk about it and figure some stuff out together.
I came across this phrase whilst reading it over lunch this afternoon -
As I read it, I realised again how far I have grown as compared to before.
In the past, I would have just read and moved on to the next whatever-fact the book had to throw at me... =p Blush. I mean I didn't understand symbols in the bible then... so blue was blue, bronze was bronze, purple was some colour... I was shallow in my understanding then, so I was shallow in my reading and perhaps, I was much more shallow in my faith.
But today, as I read that phrase, I felt in my Spirit that what was being mentioned here is how God has given us beauty for our ashes. =)
So I read up on bible symbols and types... and here goes....
Ashes - In the natural, when something is broken, you can fix it; but if it has been burned up and reduced to ashes, it can never be restored back to the way it was, never mind better than what it was. Ashes represents the broken us... before we are saved.
Bronze - Represents sin, stubborn-ess, judgement. So here, it could be referring to the altar of judgement where our sins and stubborn-ess are judged at?
Purple - Represents Royalty... yes we all know that... but this is so much more than Kingship in the world as we know it. We are Kings and Priests reigning within Christ, with Christ in Heaven!
So all in all, the phrase describes how God has taken our broken-ess at the altar of judgement and covered it with royal priesthood in Christ!
Beauty for Ashes is a favourite term of mine (the song "I trade my ashes in for beauty, and wear forgiveness as a crown..." is a fav worship song) and a much treasured reminder of how I was so lost and torn in the past, but I am now whole and overflowing with the joy of the LORD that cannot be stolen from me! =D
Can't wait to read more about Numbers. It is tough to read... but little nuggets of gold like this makes me hungry for more! ^.^
We were talking last night after dinner about how we have come very far in understanding symbols and types in the bible since we started attending New Creation Church some 3 years ago. Before NCC, we were reading the bible but not really understanding it fully. The bible was just the bible. Now we see the bible as God's love letter to us and we can read it in greater depth and understanding.
Even then some books of the bibles are still a challenge to read, but instead of feeling like skipping them, we have come to want to understand the symbolisms behind each name, each phrase and each number. It is a good hunger I feel. =)
So Ian was sharing on how Numbers can be very hard to read esp because of all the Census taking and stuff. =D I was suggesting he check up the bible dictionary we have at home, the various other references like those on bible symbols and types, etc.
As we chatted and discussed on what could possibly be meant by certain sentences, numbers, etc... I suddenly felt super blessed! I have a husband I can talk about the matters of God with and that I can fellowship with. I mean we talk about Kaelen, family, directors, movies, work, food (lol) and all... but beyond that we are able to pray together, anoint each other, take communion together and talk about bible symbolisms together. What a rich relationship in Christ! Thank You Abba!!! =D Thank You Jesus!!!
In fact Kae is also beginning to see that there is more to the bible than meets the eye. He was reading a paragraph talking about King David the other day in the bible guide that I got him when he went "OH!" He then told me how the guide didn't mention something he felt was very important. I was like "What's that?" He then drew parallels, all 6 years old of him, between King David and Jesus. David was a shepherd, Jesus was a shepherd; David was born in Bethlehem, Jesus was born in Bethlehem; David was a King, Jesus is a King... and he began to come to his own conclusion that David might be representative of Jesus in the OT!! Again I must say - THANK YOU ABBA FOR THE REVELATION TO THE LITTLE ONE! =D
So back to Numbers.... I've decided to try reading Numbers again so we can talk about it and figure some stuff out together.
I came across this phrase whilst reading it over lunch this afternoon -
"They are to remove the ashes from the bronze altar and spread a purple cloth over it." - Num 4:13
As I read it, I realised again how far I have grown as compared to before.
In the past, I would have just read and moved on to the next whatever-fact the book had to throw at me... =p Blush. I mean I didn't understand symbols in the bible then... so blue was blue, bronze was bronze, purple was some colour... I was shallow in my understanding then, so I was shallow in my reading and perhaps, I was much more shallow in my faith.
But today, as I read that phrase, I felt in my Spirit that what was being mentioned here is how God has given us beauty for our ashes. =)
So I read up on bible symbols and types... and here goes....
Ashes - In the natural, when something is broken, you can fix it; but if it has been burned up and reduced to ashes, it can never be restored back to the way it was, never mind better than what it was. Ashes represents the broken us... before we are saved.
Bronze - Represents sin, stubborn-ess, judgement. So here, it could be referring to the altar of judgement where our sins and stubborn-ess are judged at?
Purple - Represents Royalty... yes we all know that... but this is so much more than Kingship in the world as we know it. We are Kings and Priests reigning within Christ, with Christ in Heaven!
So all in all, the phrase describes how God has taken our broken-ess at the altar of judgement and covered it with royal priesthood in Christ!
Beauty for Ashes is a favourite term of mine (the song "I trade my ashes in for beauty, and wear forgiveness as a crown..." is a fav worship song) and a much treasured reminder of how I was so lost and torn in the past, but I am now whole and overflowing with the joy of the LORD that cannot be stolen from me! =D
Can't wait to read more about Numbers. It is tough to read... but little nuggets of gold like this makes me hungry for more! ^.^
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