Commentary on "Worship and Dedication"

PHIL HARRIS

 

Day 2: Sunday, October 11, 2009

 

Overview

The theme text for today's lesson is Numbers Chapter Seven. Moses had already anointed and consecrated the tabernacle with all it's furnishings. Now, the heads of each tribe were to bring their respective offerings of dedication. While these offerings were intended for use by the Levites in their "service of the tent of meeting", the focus is centered on the alter of burnt offering.

The author of the lesson then uses a quote from Ellen G. White where she makes the claim that the Jews understood these sacrificial offerings were a symbol of Christ "whose blood was shed for the salvation of the world".

 

Problems

The first issue we should look at is the memory text quoted in yesterday's lesson, I Cor. 9:7. When we look at the context of Paul's words, we find that he is requesting a voluntary offering which he is planning to take to the needy Christians in Jerusalem. As such, this has nothing to do with the offering of dedication intended for use by the Levites in the tabernacle service. The lesson author calls these offerings brought by the Hebrew leaders as "gifts". The Bible simply says they "brought their offerings before the Lord" with no indication that they were presented freely as voluntary gifts. In reference to the offering that Paul took to Jerusalem, it is interesting to read the following, where he was meeting with the apostolic leadership in Jerusalem:

Only, they asked us to remember the poor, the very thing I was eager to do. But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. (Gal. 2:10,11 ESV)

You should turn to Galatians and learn for yourself why Paul confronted and condemned Cephas.

As for the words of Ellen G. White, there isn't the slightest Biblical support for claim that the Jews understood that Jesus Christ was the Messiah and that it was his blood that was shed for the salvation of the world. So, let's turn to the book of Acts and read the final part of Stephen's sermon to the Jews:

"You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you. Which of the prophets did not your fathers persecute? And they killed those who announced beforehand the coming of the Righteous One, whom you have now betrayed and murdered, you who received the law as delivered by angels and did not keep it." Now when they heard these things they were enraged, and they ground their teeth at him. But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. And he said, "Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God." But they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears and rushed together at him. Then they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul. And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." And falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them." And when he had said this, he fell asleep. (Acts 7:51-60 ESV)

The stoning of Stephen graphically proves that the Jews did not accept that the sacrificial offerings they were making at the temple portrayed the blood of Jesus Christ, whom they had murdered only a short time before.

 

Summary

1. The memory text has been taken out of context and does not represent the offerings given by the Hebrew leaders at the dedication of the tabernacle and the tabernacle service.
2. The Jews rejected Jesus and were the ones who murdered him. This contradicts the claim by Ellen G. White that they understood the sacrificial offerings as representing his blood, shed for the salvation of the world.

 

GO TO DAY 3

 

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