Lifted

Please note: Beginning in July, Google will stop sending automatic notifications of new postings for blogs such as this one that are published under "blogspot.com". If you have been receiving notifications, or would like to receive them, please enter your email address in the box in the upper right corner of the blog page before July. These email addresses will be retrieved hopefully, and you will be sent a notification directly when there is a new post available. These email addresses will not be used for any other purpose. You will receive the "new blog post" notifications from "the disciple". If you choose not to enter your email address, I would recommend that after June 2021, check the blog regularly for new posts. Thank you for your patience and faithful readership. This week's Sabbath reading portion is titled Naso!, meaning "to lift" or "elevate". All of this week's Torah readings, which are from Numbers Chapters 4 and 6, and the haftarah readings from Judges Chapters 13 and 16, have to do with God lifting up His people into positions for the work of the tabernacle, and, in one case, for a work of deliverance. The LORD numbered and called out individuals and families by name as He assigned them their places. Isaiah also wrote of the LORD calling us by name: "But now, thus says the LORD, who created you, O Jacob, and He who formed you, O Israel: "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are mine." (Isa. 43:1). In Judges 13 and 16, God calls a barren woman to bear a son, who would be named Samson, meaning "brilliant and gleaming like the sun". Samson is lifted up to be a Nazirite, one who takes a vow of separation and consecration for service to God, and to be a deliverer of God's people from the oppression of the Philistines. This miracle birth and calling was prophetically ordained by the appearance of the Angel of the LORD to Samson's mother and father. This Angel told them that His name was "wonderful" (Judges 13:17). The prophet Isaiah revealed later that the same name, "Wonderful", is the name of the Messiah (Isa. 9:6). Though he was to be a Nazirite from the womb, Samson struggled with this calling. He appeared to be separated and consecrated outwardly because of his uncut hair, but inwardly, Samson mixed with the unclean, and the unholy. Though his calling as a Nazirite lifted him into the heavenly realms, his soul was drawn to those who were brought low: Delilah means "brought low, laid low, not equal". As he left the lifted realm of the Nazirite Deliverer, Samson became vulnerable to fierce, harsh, greedy powers represented by the Hebrew meaning of the city of Gaza. However, as Samson was Himself brought low, he understood the calling of God upon him, and prayed for God to lift him once again: "O LORD God, remember me, I pray! Strengthen me, I pray, just this once, O God, that I may with one blow take vengeance on the Philistines for my two eyes! (Judges 16:21, 28). The Philistines had bored out Samson's eyes, and placed him in chains. Could there be any hope that the once mighty champion and judge of Israel, now blinded and chained, be restored to his former glory, and deliver Israel from the Philistines as God had prophesied? God indeed heard Samson's prayer, and restored his strength one last time. Samson destroyed the Philistines in the stronghold of Gaza that day, fearlessly giving his own life to do it. Although we do not generally take Nazirite vows, as believers in Christ, Paul wrote that we also have been called to a type of dedicated Nazirite life: "Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness?...And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: 'I will dwell in them and walk among them. I will be their God, and they shall be My people.' Therefore, 'Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you. I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty." (2 Cor. 6:14-18, referring to Ezek. 37:26-27, Isa. 52:11, 2 Sam. 7:14). Spiritually we are called to inhabit the high places with Christ, even though we are physically still tethered to the earth. God made a provision to lift His people back up should they fall low, as we will see. Also from the Torah portion, the LORD commanded the priests of the tabernacle to lift their hands and speak a blessing over all the children of Israel. The purpose of this blessing was to speak God's possession of His people, and to place His name upon them: "And the LORD spoke to Moses saying, 'This is the way you shall bless the children of Israel. Say to them: "The LORD bless you and keep you, and be gracious to you; the LORD lift up His countenance upon you, and give you peace." So they shall put My name on the children of Israel, and I will bless them." (Num. 6:22-27). The Jewish rabbis wrote that within the context of this blessing, God has set forgiveness, grace, and the way back to peace, as a way to lift His people back up. The promise of the LORD is to call back everyone who is called by His name, no matter how far they have roamed, even to the ends of the earth (Isa. 34:5-7). As a priesthood belonging to Christ, shouldn't we also speak this prayerful blessing over the children of God? Though appearances may lead us to mistakenly think that we, or another person, has fallen too low for God to reach, this blessing required by God to be said over His people, is a ministering virtue that lifts up. May we speak the blessing of God that is intended to lift His people. Our Father has lifted us, and placed His name upon us. If you would like to know your place in Christ, or if you need to be lifted back up from a low place, you can pray: "Dear Lord Jesus, You ascended with us in order for us to be seated with You in the heavenly places. Lift me, I pray, Lord, from this low place by the quickening of the Holy Spirit. You have accounted for me by name, and Your blessing spoken over me made a provision for me by which I may be restored to You. Cleanse me and renew me, lift up Your countenance upon me this day, and bring me back to the way of peace in You. In Jesus' name, I ask. AMEN."