Insightful Musings on the Scriptures

by

Raymond P. Sparre
Northwest University class of '67

Good morning, dear ones.

Pretty nice morning out there. I just wish I felt nicer. My prediction is that if I can secure a doctor’s visit, I would come out with a prescription for antibiotics to treat a sinus infection that I think is hammering on me. Oh well.

After sending the devotional yesterday, my imagination carried on some. If the “teaching of Balaam” was a promotion of sexual immorality which, of course, our own secular culture promotes, I wondered how it would go over for a pastor to challenge his people after presenting this lesson…something like, “I hereby beseech you to go out there and commit sexual morality!” That wouldn’t necessarily require his listeners to do anything…only to NOT DO what they’re not supposed to. Anyway, there’s probably nothing on planet earth that messes up human lives in greater volume than the immoral brand.

Blessings on your day.

Love, Dad/Ray.

Since I’m carefully reading along in this account, it’s like I’m one of the hearers of “all that the LORD commanded.” So how did the Israelites respond? I’m not entirely sure—though their historical record doesn’t allow for kudos. I do know how I’m tending to respond right now—which is likely how I would have tended to respond back then. Quite honestly my initial response is not favorable. I would feel overwhelmed with the cold endless demanding legalism of it all. I might even reason that all this sacrificing and ceremony stuff doesn’t even do any good—or make any big difference. After all, we may satisfy God’s rigid sacrificial demands for today, but then we have to do the same thing tomorrow. During the eight-day Feast of Tabernacles alone, I tally that 71 young bulls, 15 rams, and 105 year-old lambs were slaughtered! I can understand how someone reading through these chapters without a HEART AFTER GOD could impulsively write it off as a bunch of ugly religious bunk! Is this the “Law of the LORD” that so delighted the Psalmist David (Psalm 1:2)? I think not. I can’t imagine David taking a God-designed creature like one of his own lambs, who looks at him with beautiful innocent eyes, while he actually delights in the plunge of the knife, the flow of blood, and the termination of that life. I can’t imagine that it was this part of the Law that was delightful. It’s really quite ugly. In fact, I think it’s supposed to be! The spectacle and results of sin, which is represented by the sacrificing, are supposed to be offensive. Instead, it was David’s HEART AFTER GOD that afforded the motivation to sincerely want to please God which allowed him to revel in his relationship with the LORD. How could anyone put a price tag on peace with God “which transcends all understanding” (Philippians 4:7)?

Never before have I been more grateful for New Testament fulfillment—or more warned by ignoring it. “We must pay more careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away. For if the message spoken by angels was binding, and every violation and disobedience received its just punishment, how shall we escape if we ignore such a great salvation? This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him. God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will” (Hebrews 2:1-4).