Numbers - Star out of Jacob

The Hebrew name for "Numbers" is "in the wilderness."  The Greek name for "Numbers" is simpler to grasp, (said tongue in cheek) - "numberings."
The book of Numbers is of course, given to "numbering" the people.  They were numbered by their tribes and later smaller groups of 100.  No small task.  In addition to all this numbering, sacrifices as pointed out in Leviticus were still going on.  Laws and rules were being given.  A busy place to be sure, this "wilderness."
In the middle of all this activity we discover this verse; "...there shall come a Star out of Jacob" (Num 24.17)
I found this curious.  Except to say our study is "Making much of Jesus," and we are looking for Jesus in each book of the bible.  So, why would the author of this book say this?
One must understand "Jacob."  Jacob was given another name in (Gen 32.28), "Israel."  Jacob had twelve sons who were to be the heads of the twelve tribes of Israel.  The High Priese wore a breastplate of twelve stones over his tunic that represented the twelve tribes.  Twelve, in numerology, is a perfect number symbolizing God's power and authority.  Twelve also denotes completeness.
Then, one must examine "Star."  We know in (Gen 1.16, 15.5, 22.17) the "star(s)" are many.  We discover a specific Star noted in (2 Pet 1:19), the "day star."  This is, of course, the sun. 
Students were made aware that the brightest star in the daytime is our sun.
It was logical to point out, the brightest star, "the sun."  Then, it followed to talk of the One who is brightest of all, the SON.!  Being the smart kids they are, the students grasp the double meaning immediately.
To find Jesus in this verse, was not very hard if one looked at it in the following way based on the previous explanations:

"...there shall come a Star (Jesus) out of Jacob (Israel)"

And there He is!

Leviticus - High Priest

So, this guy is the High Priest.  In our study "Making Much of Jesus," how are we to see Jesus in this man?  Well, look in (Heb 2.17) "Wherefore in all things it behooved Him to be made like unto His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful 'High Priest," in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people."  Then in (Heb 2.14); "Seeing then that we have a 'great High Priest,' that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession."
Given these two verses, there is no doubt who our "High Priest" is.
Next question, What did the High Priest do? What were his duties to discharge?

Turning to the OT, (Lev 1.5-9), one would note that it was his job to "kill the bullock before the Lord;...and bring the blood and sprinkle it" all around the altar.
He was also to "cut it into pieces," and lay the wood and the animal parts "in order" on the altar.
That's right, "MORE BLOOD!"  Forever, blood and sacrifice.  I asked the students why more blood was necessary.  Then I told them to think about what would happen if there was no blood in one's body.  Obviously, one could not live.  To put a fine point on it, "Life is in the blood."
Then we looked at five type of sacrifices and their purpose;

• Meat-offering (Lev 2.1) - "Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of Him that sen me, and to finish His work me, and to finish His work." (Jn 4.34) 
• Peace-offering (Lev 3.1) Why would one offer peace before the Lord?  Well, can one live peaceably all the time? "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you." (Jn 14.27) When one thinks like He does, one will be at peace.
• Sin-offering (Lev 4.3) - Can one live sinless all the time? "My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: (I Jn 1.2) 
• Trespass-offering -  (Lev 5.15) "Who was before a blesphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief ." (I Tim 1.13). Forgiven because of ignorance.  
• Burnt-offering (6.9-13) Aren't they all burnt offerings? Yes, but this is a fire that never goes out. Why? "Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire: and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is."  (I Cor 3.13)

The High Priest was a very busy man.  Why were all these offerings necessary? Sin and wrong motives. "If therefore, perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the people received the law) what further need was there that another priest should rise...:" (Heb 7.11)
"And walk in live, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given Himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savor." (Eph 5.2)

Exodus - PASSOVER

To begin study of Jesus in Exodus as the Passover, we must define the compound word.
As always, using Webster's 1829 dictionary;
Pass - "to move from one place to another"
Over - the opposite side.
Together Passover means "to move from one place to another to the opposite side."  In the book of Exodus we understand that is just what happened to the enslaved Hebrews. Scripture reports that their lives were "made bitter with hard bondage."
Exodus 1.14 opens with the children of Israel as slaves in Egypt.   For nearly 430 years, according to history, this had been so.

In another epic tale of the Majesty of the Lord, God gave a leader by the name of Moses.  Of course, if one follows the story, Moses was taken in by the Pharaoh's daughter as a baby.  Thus, Moses was raised up in the house of Pharaoh.  However, there came a day when Moses learned of his true heritage of the Hebrews rather than the Egyptians, paving the way for how the Lord would use Moses to deliver the people from such "hard bondage."  But that is not where we will seek the name of the Lord.
God told Moses to tell Pharaoh, "let my people go."  Ten times Moses went to the highest authority in the land, ten times Pharaoh "hardened his heart" and ten times God sent plagues as Pharaoh rejected the Lord's will.          The Plagues:

1. Water into blood (Ex 7:14-24)
2. Frogs (Ex 7:25-8:15)
3. Lice (Ex 8:16-19)
4. Flies (Ex 8:20-32)
5. Diseased livestock (Ex 9:1-7)
6. Boils/sores (Ex 9:8-12)
7. Hail and fire (Ex 9:13-35)
8. Locusts (Ex 10:1-20)
9. Darkness for three days (Ex 10:21-29)
10. DEATH of all the firstborn (Ex 11:1-12:36)

Until the tenth plague, Pharaoh, though bothered, didn't heed Moses' warning and directive of the Lord's word.  Moses told Pharaoh the "death angel" was coming by on a certain night. You see, he had folks to clean up after the first nine plagues and had money enough to restore all lost because of the plagues.  Although the plagues affected him it didn't affect him that bad.  Ah, but one does not reject the Word of the Lord indefinitely without dire consequences!  The tenth plague, death of ALL the firstborn, from the "King's house to the poor man's house," struck at what was obviously the point of his rejection.  As long as his family was safe, there was nothing to worry about.  You see, when you harden your heart to the will of God and His Word, it not only affects you but others around you.

Before the Lord executed the tenth plague, HE made a way of escape for the Hebrews. Moses may have given Pharaoh this instruction also but we are not told that in scripture.

• The Lord gave instruction, through His preacher, to "prepare a lamb."
• This lamb was to be a yearling, without spot or blemish, young and tender. (Ex 12.5-7)
• This lamb was be killed and its blood "applied to the door posts of each home."
• The blood was to be put at the top, left and right of the door posts.
• This sacrificial blood would be above them, on both sides of them and below them as it would drip down.

When the "death angel," as ordered by God, passes through each home in Egypt that dark night, the only homes spared death of the firstborn would be those that had the blood applied.
Ex 12.13 reads: "When I see the blood I will passover you."
Passover, moved from one place to another to the opposite side.
So, they were "moved from one place to another" or toward the Promised Land when they left Egypt.

• Where is Jesus as the Passover?
• Who was the "Lamb that taketh away the sins of the world?" (Jn 1.29)
• Who is known as the "Lamb that was slain before the foundation of the world?" (I Pet 1.19, 20)

So if the slain lamb is a picture of the Lord Jesus, would it reason to say that if one believes in the Lord Jesus Christ and the salvation from death His blood brings, one would be saved from death/eternal damnation?

Genesis - CREATOR

As noted in previous entry, "Making Much of Jesus" began appropriately/Providentially on Jan 1, 2017 in the Junior Class @ GBC (http://www.gbccornelia.com/).

Genesis - He is the "Creator."  He is, of course so much more but this is the Name chosen to find "Jesus" in Genesis.  The word that is descriptive of "Jesus" over and over is "Lord."  The students were asked for His full Name, which is, of course, "The Lord Jesus Christ."  So, everywhere one see's "Lord," one could also substitute His Name, "Jesus."

By the way - did you know that Webster defines the word Genesis as "the formation of a line, plane or solid...in other words, 'a starting point.'" Mr. Webster gives another marvelous fact about the word "Genesis;"  Did you know that in the original Hebrew, this book has no title!"  Why is that so, one might ask?  I believe it's because unlike the finite Greek word origins from which we get most all English words, there is no beginning in the things of God!  He is the "I AM" and there is no reason to "define" a beginning with Him.  Yet, because of his great love towards His Creation, He gave us a "comprehensible" word to understand Him, "Genesis."

To clarify His Name(s), the "Trinity Chart" was utilized to identify Jesus' part of the Godhead.  A lofty subject indeed but necessary to begin the lesson.  God, the Father, God, the Son, God, the Holy Ghost.  One person, three offices.  Maybe the children will remember, maybe not but it's a good teaching tool.
Using this chart, I began to explain that Jesus is "God with us," as His name "Emmanuel" defines.  Then, I began to point out the men who "saw the Lord," from Genesis.

• Enoch "walked with God," (Gen 5.24), 
• Noah answered the Lord's directive "come into the Ark," indicating He was on the inside but "Who shut the door?" (Gen 7.1, 10).  
• Abram had "The Lord appeared" to him (Gen 12.7, 18.1).  
• Jacob dreamed a dream and  "saw the Lord standing" at the top of the ladder that stretched from earth to heaven (Gen 28.13).  
• Joseph in his faithful, humble manner knew that "the Lord was with him." (Gen 39.2,5, 21 and 23)

These men actually "saw" the Lord and one knew He was near.   So, in Genesis, "the Creator" is also the Lord Jesus Christ who is with us.  The Creator, imagine!  He who stepped out on nothing and created everything!  He who spoke the worlds into existence, "condescended to men of low estate," (Rom 12.16).  He was interested in His children not yet born who would go back to the first book of the bible and see Him!
 

Creator, seen of some men,

Genesis, the start but not the end.

He is there and will be in the next book too.

I see Him there, do you?