Seder 100: Lev 26:26 and Matthew 14:13-21---Reversing a Curse by Faith

 In Leviticus 26 the Israelites are told that if they turn their backs on God's covenant, God will discipline them with hardships that will escalate if they persist in rebellion.  One of the hardships is famine, as described in verse 26:  

"When I break your supply of bread, ten women shall bake your bread in a single oven and shall dole out your bread again by weight, and you shall eat and not be satisfied."

This verse pictures a group of people having to share an amount of food that is only enough for a tenth as many people.  The Israelites could avoid this kind of scenario by turning to God in repentance (vv 40-45).  

The punishments listed in Leviticus 26:14-39 were the opposites of  blessings that would come to the Israelites in the Promised Land.  We can contrast the famine in Leviticus 26:26 with the blessings described by Moses in Deuteronomy 8:10:  "And you shall eat and be full, and you shall bless the LORD your God for the good land he has given you."  

Israel would continue to receive such blessings if they maintained their faith in God.  In particular, they would be blessed for taking care of those who were in need--Dt 14:29; 26:12.  Note the example of Ruth, who was helped by Boaz, in Ruth 2:14:  "So she sat beside the reapers, and he passed to her roasted grain.  And she ate until she was satisfied, and she had some left over."  

Another interesting example is in 2 Kings 4:42-44, where a man brings a firstfruits offering to the prophet Elisha.  Elisha has the man share the food with a large group.  Even though the group is large, there is enough food for everyone, with some left over.  In contrast to Leviticus 26:26, people ate are were satisfied.  

The miracle in 2 Kings 4:42-44 prefigures Jesus' feeding of 5000 in Matthew 14:13-21, where 5 loaves and 2 fish fed a large crowd, with much left over. In a sermon at Church of the Messiah on January 24, 2026, Kyle Kettering focused on this miracle to illustrate what can be accomplished when we place our trust in God.  

Seder 17: Genesis 19 and Matthew 14---Hospitality in the Evening

 After visiting Abraham, two angels headed on to Sodom, arriving in the evening (Gen 19:1).  The question of why they arrived so late in the day was asked by the sages.  After all, angels are not subject to the constraints in space and time faced by humans.  

One suggested answer is that they were not anxious for the cities of the plain to be punished.  They wanted those towns to have every opportunity to repent and escape destruction.  This answer is consistent with God's merciful nature and desire that as many as possible come to repentance (see 2 Pe 3:9).  As Frank Fenton pointed out in a short teaching at Church of the Messiah on February 24, 2024, the Day of the Lord is not necessarily something to which to look forward (see e.g. Amos 5:18).  He urged us to help as many as possible find the Messiah before that time comes.  

A major theme in Genesis 18 and 19 is hosptality, as exemplified by both Abraham and Lot, who "entertained angels unawares" (Heb 13:2).  In a sermon at Church of the Messiah on February 24, 2024, Kyle Kettering looked at the feeding of the 5000 as an example of hospitality.  

This famous miracle occurred shortly after the death of John the Baptist (Mt 14; Mk 6).  Jesus had wanted some time alone, perhaps to come to terms with what had happened and consider how John's death would affect his own ministry (Mt 14:13).  But a large crowd, perhaps a crowd including a number of John's disciples, had other ideas.  

Jesus had compassion on this crowd "because they were like sheep without a shepherd" (Mk 6:34).  And so he exercised hospitality in providing for them.  Biblical hospitality, Kyle pointed out, often means putting aside our own wishes and plans.  He urged us to "show hospitality to one another without grumbling," as Peter instructed in 1 Peter 4:9. 

Seder 114: New Testament Connections with Numbers 15---the Unpardonable Sin, Tassels

 Numbers 15:30-31 warns against defiant sins, those committed with a "high hand."  The New Testament contains analogous warnings.  For example:

1 John 5:16---"If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he shall ask, and God will give him life---to those who commit sins that do not lead to death.  There is sin that leads to death; I do not say that one should pray for that."

Heb 6:4-6---"For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt."

Mark 3:28-30---"Truly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the children of man, and whatever blasphemies they utter, but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin"---for they were saying, 'he has an unclean spirit'. "

The New Testament also contains a number of references to the tassels worn on the corners of Israelite garments.  

Matthew 14:35-36---"And when the men of that place recognized him, they sent around to all that region and brought to him all who were sick and implored him that they might only touch the fringe the fringe of his garment.  And as many as touched it were made well."

Many see here a fulfillment of Malachi 4:2.  

Jesus also criticized the wearing of tassels for show:

Matt 23:5---"They do all their deeds to be seen by others.  For they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long." 

Seder 80: Psalm 65---A Thanksgiving Hymn

 Delitzsch suggested that this psalm might have originally been prompted by the retreat of the Assyrians after the prayer of Hezekiah (2 Kings 19).  Since the psalm speaks of Israel coming to worship God at Zion, it could have been associated with worship at a pilgrim festival.

Van Gemeren notes that verses 1-4 of this psalm speak of the blessedness of God's presence, while verses 5-13 speak of the blessedness of God's rule as King over all.  

In verses 1-4, God's people come to worship thankfully, expressing gratitude for God's forgiveness and answers to prayer.  Those brought near in verse 4 include priests and, more broadly, God's kingdom of priests (Ex 19:6).

The rest of the psalm pictures God as not just the hope of Israel, but the creator and ruler of all the earth.  Verse 7 ("who stills the roaring of the seas, the roaring of their waves") reminds us of Jesus stilling the waters of the Sea of Galilee (Matt 8:26; 14:32).