Numbers 10; Psalm 46-47; Song of Solomon 8; Hebrews 8
Daily Catechism
QUESTION 88: IS ANY MAN ABLE PERFECTLY TO KEEP THE COMMANDMENTS OF GOD?
Answer: No mere man, since the fall, is able in this life, perfectly to keep the commandments of God, but daily falls short of inward and outward perfection.
Scripture: Ecclesiastes 7:20; Genesis 6:5; 8:21; 1 John 1:8; James 3:2, 8; Romans 3:23; 7:15; Philippians 3:12.
Numbers 10
Israel moves out for the first time since the erection of the tabernacle. They are led by the cloud as a sign of the presence of God and they are heading to the promised land (Num 10:29). God gives them a trumpet system whereby they are to blow the trumpets as an alarm or as a call to the people or to the tribe leaders and this would be used for battle as well. He explains that the trumpets are to be a reminder to them so that they remember that The LORD is their God. The LORD gives symbols and rituals and means of connection that establish a tangible culture that relies upon God.
Psalm 46-47
God is present! When we are in trouble and the earth seems to be failing and when all is falling apart…he is present and he is our refuge and strength! We need not fear circumstances or enemies. The LORD of hosts is with us! This hosts word refers to armies…angelic armies. Let us be still rather than panic…let us know that he is God and nothing is outside of his control and purpose. So 47 moves on now to encourage us to lift our voices in praise to the King of the earth. The “world”, the sinful world may be the enemy’s domain (2 Cor 4:4) for now (based on our first parent’s giving up dominion to him) but God is the king over the elements and the nations (Ps 47:2, 7, 8). The actual earth and all the creation is his. Satan owns the sin and the systems of rebellion…which impact the creation (as far as God allows) until it is all shut up in hell in the final day.
Hebrews 8
v1-2. He goes to make a conclusion or a main point of the previous statements about the eternal priesthood that Jesus serves in and the point is that this high priest is actually before the presence of God always and does not enter into a man-made tent that is a copy of something God showed Moses on the mountain.
v3. This presence before God is needed because priest must bring gifts and offerings to the Lord somehow.
v4-5. The only priesthood that can be served on earth is one under the original covenant of the law. There were already priests here serving that covenant and that was a mere shadow of what was to come.
v6-7. Jesus serves a greater ministry with greater promises of a heart change from the inside out worked by the omnipotence of God rather than an external law requiring our outward efforts and resulting in our failure to keep it. Better promises. This is awesome. The first promise required our keeping of the external law and the new promise is that Jesus will keep it and write in us a spiritual law upon our hearts and that he will empower us to keep this law and he will work in us a salvation that depends not upon our righteousness, but only his own. Better promise indeed!
v8-13. Here he explains the new covenant promise of the law being written on our hearts and that God will guarantee our salvation in knowing him and that this will be by his mercy…see Rom 9:16. The old covenant was faulted due to our flesh so a better one was brought and sealed with the perfect keeping of the old one by our king and brother... see Rom 8:3-4. A new covenant is established through the fulfillment of the old! This whole passage is speaking of the house of Israel and the house of Judah and Romans makes clear that this is for all (Rom 3:29), Jew and Greek and that we all become Jews by this inward heart circumcision by the Spirit (Rom 2:26-29).
v13. The old covenant is obsolete and is growing old and ready to vanish…hmmm. ready to vanish but not gone yet. When? Probably still binding for those who have not entered the new covenant because it has not been sealed by blood. There has been no entering into the new covenant and no fulfillment of the old for any that are not "in Christ" and so they are still under the old covenant and condemned therefore due to rebellion and enmity and failure. This covenant will be fulfilled in them in the judgement day when the righteous judgment of God is revealed. Rom 2:5 Growing old because the days are passing and the day of judgement is coming. He patiently waits for us to take hold of the promises of Christ in the new covenant and see the old fulfilled in love. The law is here because of sin…once sin is finally dealt with then this could be the “vanishing" of the law. Recall that the law is good and holy, not a bad thing (Rom 7:12-14). So the law is not the problem…we are. Our flesh is…our rebellion.
Soli Deo Gloria!
