"...I have learned (manthano - to be increased in knowledge, to learn by use and practice) in whatever state I am, to be content (autarkes - independent of external circumstances, to be enough, to be satisfied): I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."
Philippians 4:11-13
The title of this Sabbath's reading portion is Chukkat, meaning "Ordinance of". As used in Numbers 19:1-2, the word translated as "ordinance" is huqqa/hoq/haqqaq in Hebrew with the meaning: statute, ordinance, limit, established, defined, right, privilege/enactment, decree, prescribed, assigned, definite/inscribe, carve out, engrave, cut in, decree, stamp violently, to be just, truth, necessity, lawgiver. We think of the statutes of God as being "written in stone", but they are truly meant to be written in our hearts as part of a new covenant (see Jer. 31:31-36/Heb. 8:8-12). In this new covenant prophesied by Jeremiah, the LORD also promised to forgive our iniquity, and remember our sin no more. Psalm 119:11 says: "Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You." Personally, I saw in my mind the ordinances of God (which all have fallen short of) violently stamped into or carved out of (see definition above) Messiah/Christ's flesh for our sakes, which was then lifted up on a cross for all men to see. Having then received the Savior into our hearts, we carry this epistle of Messiah/Christ Jesus for our sakes and forgiveness, and for the forgiveness of others who read it in us. Paul wrote: "...clearly you are an epistle of Christ, ministered by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of flesh, that is, of the heart." (2 Cor. 3:3).
Paul went on to say in the above passage from 2 Cor. 3: "And we have such trust through Christ toward God. Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God, who also made us ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life." (v. 4-6). These words of Paul agree with his words from Philippians 4 which are written at the top of this page. We are able to trust in God for all things as His ordinances are written in our hearts rather than upon stone.
All of this sets the foundation for this Sabbath's study. In the last few weeks of Sabbath reading portions, the LORD has been dealing with His people concerning some very powerful and ultimately deadly weaknesses within their souls. Those weaknesses were not just common to the Israelites in the wilderness, but to all of us. This Chukkat or "Ordinance of" Sabbath reading portion deals with the dissatisfaction that lies hidden within the soul. It is a soul that is always wanting and never satisfied. The soul has been defined as the mind, heart and will of an individual. It is what makes you, "you". Before the salvation work of Messiah/Christ Jesus, and the transforming work of the Holy Spirit, the soul is carnal and dying. As we read from scripture last week, the carnal mind is at enmity with the Lord. The transforming of the soul, including the renewing of the mind, is a continuing work in progress that we receive by faith and with thanks.
We will see that the Israelites' repeated dissatisfaction affected their response and relationship with the LORD. In the beginning of the reading portion for this Sabbath in Numbers 20, Moses' sister Miriam has died, and there was no water (mayim - water, watersprings, washing, waterflood, refreshment, also meaning water of danger and violence) for the congregation in their location in the Wilderness of Zin ("flat", to prick). (Num. 20:1-2). From the Hebrew meaning of the place, Zin, it would be a place that could get on your nerves. Its meaning includes monotonous flatness that "pricks" at a person's peace and satisfaction.
Because there was no water, the Israelites gathered together against Moses and Aaron and contended (rib - strive, contend, chide, debate, complain, quarrel, grapple, wrangle, adversary, rebuke, to pull, contend with blows with hands) with Moses, saying: "If only we had died when our brethren died before the LORD! Why have you brought up the assembly of the LORD into this wilderness, that we and our animals should die here? And why have you made us come up out of Egypt, to bring us to this evil place?...". (Num. 20:2-5).
As we know, it was not Moses and Aaron who brought the Israelites out of Egypt by miraculous signs and judgments, nor brought them to their current location. It is the LORD who led the tribes of Israel by the hand continually using a column of smoke during the day and a pillar of fire at night.
The contention brought against Moses and Aaron, by the Hebrew meaning of the word rib above, also can include hands-on violence. Also, the dissatisfaction of the people was so consuming that they wished that they had died with those who had previously been killed by the judgment of the LORD. Dissatisfaction (with the LORD) had grown so extreme that they desired and spoke death for themselves.
Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before the door of the tabernacle of meeting and the glory of the LORD appeared and instructed Moses what to do. Moses was to take (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-the-rod and speak (dabar - speak, say, talk, pronounce, command, sing, commune) to the rock before the congregation, and the rock would yield (natan - give, yield, bring, grant, appoint produce, bestow, consecrate, deliver up, utter) its water, enough for (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-the-congregation and (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-their-animals. (Num. 20:6-9).
Moses, perhaps being pricked with dissatisfaction himself, spoke presumptuously to (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-the-assembly with words not commanded by the LORD. Then he "lifted (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-his-hand and struck (naka - slay, kill, beaten, stricken, slaughter, wounded, stripes, scourge, chastise, punish, destroy, give a thrust, subjugate, ravage, murderer) (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-the-rock twice with his rod; and water came out abundantly..." (v. 10-11).
As we can see, whether within the congregation or Moses, dissatisfaction (ultimately with God) eventually yields violence either to self or to others - violence of words or deeds. In this case, terribly, the Rock, which was Messiah/Christ (see1 Cor. 10:1-5, also Heb. 6:4-8), was tortured and crucified (see naka above) with man's dissatisfaction (with God). Dissatisfaction leads to unbelief for which the LORD told Moses that he would not be allowed bring this (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-assembly into the land which the LORD was giving to them. (v. 12). That place in the wilderness was called Meribah, meaning "strife, contention, quarrel, provocation".
In another incident from this Chukkat, "Ordinances of", Sabbath, the people of God had to travel around Edom by the long route along the Dead Sea and "the soul of the people became very discouraged (qasar - shortened, vexed, grieved, impatient, curtail, cut off, loathe, mourn) on the way. And the people spoke against God and against Moses: 'Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in this wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and our soul loathes (qus - abhor, weary, loathe, sickening dread, vexed, disgusted, to sever oneself from) this worthless (qeloqel/qalal - contemptible worthless, insubstantial/curse, vile, trifling, of little account, to make despicable, dishonor, bring contempt) bread.' So the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-the-people; and many of the people of Israel died." (Num. 21:4-6).
The bread that they spoke of with loathing was the miracle manna that the LORD delivered to them from heaven. This is what they called "worthless". Dissatisfaction with our circumstances, causes even what the LORD has graciously and sometimes miraculously provided to us to become abhorred, dishonored and cursed.
Even so, the LORD prevented further deaths by having Moses lift up the curse represented by a bronze serpent (Jesus became a curse for us: Gal. 3:13-14, Jn. 3:14-15) on a pole for the people to look upon and be saved from death. Imagine, even as the people abhorred His provision and care, the LORD placed the sign of the Messiah/Christ in their midst to deliver them.
What had been a growing dissatisfaction among God's people, had grown into an angry bitterness against God and Moses above. This bitterness was so severe that they wished themselves dead with their brethren who had fallen victim to their own discontent. This angry bitterness released fiery biting serpents in the spirit realm (see also Rev. 9:1-12). The remedy was also spiritual - looking upon Messiah/Christ on the pole/cross.
Is dissatisfaction really that powerful? There are many scriptures that confirm this, including Proverbs 27:20: "Hell (seol - underworld, grave, hell, pit, place of no return, abode of the dead, extreme degradation in sin, without praise of God) and Destruction ('abeda/'abad - lost, perishing, destruction/broken, void, blot out, be exterminated) are never full; So the eyes of man are never satisfied." (see also Prov. 30:15-16).
Paul wrote again: "Now godliness with contentment (autarkeig - a mind contented with sufficiency, a perfect condition of life) is great gain (perismos - source of gain, procuring of furnishing)...And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content." (1 Tim. 6:6-8, excerpt). This verse is not saying that the attaining of wealth is wrong. To me, what it is saying is that the source or provision of gain is godly contentment itself. Paul went on to say that those who desire riches for riches' sake, especially out of a discontent with what one already has, fall into destroying temptation and snares, harmful lusts that lead to destruction and perdition (as we read above in Prov. 27:20). We live in a world that makes a great deal of money from encouraging people to be dissatisfied and to want MORE. It can be difficult to separate ourselves from that thinking. What is the healing and deliverance from "I want MORE!"? Look upon Jesus on the cross and say, "Thank You, LORD. You have filled my soul."
David wrote: "The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want (haser - to lack, be without, decrease, have a need, make lower, be devoid of anything, to cause to want)." David said that the LORD has already prepared the things we need even when surrounded by enemies. He has anointed our heads and caused our cup to overflow. The LORD sends His goodness and mercy to follow after us all of our days. David declares that he will dwell in the house of the LORD forever. (v. 5-6).
From this Chukkat, "Ordinance of" Sabbath reading portion, after delivering a prophetic word from the LORD of troubled times and wickedness ahead, the prophet Habakkuk sings a prophetic song: "Though the fig tree may not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines; Though the labor of the olive may fail, and the fields yield no food; Though the flock may be cut off from the fold, and there be no herd in the stalls - Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation (yesa' - [root of the Hebrew name of Jesus] - deliverance, salvation, rescue, safety, welfare, prosperity, aid, victory). The LORD is my strength; He will make my feet like hinds feet, and He will make me walk on my high hills." (Hab. 3:17-19).
God's ways are not the same as the ways and desires of the world. However, His ways are overcoming ways, ways of breakthrough, and ways of transformation for the body, soul and spirit of man. If we are looking for something MORE, we will find it waiting for us in Him.
If you would like to learn more about this contentment in God, you can join me in my prayer: "LORD of my life and salvation provision, I PRAISE You! Maker of heaven and earth and all of its living inhabitants, I PRAISE and thank You! I glory in all that You have seen ahead and provided for me and for my family. You know of what I have need before I even ask You. As I look upon the Savior, Jesus, whom You provided to save my soul, I am more than content. You have filled me with all good things pertaining to life and godliness. When I hunger and thirst for Your righteousness, You fill and satisfy me. Blessed by Your name. You graciously give me my daily bread, and it is precious to me as coming from Your hand. My soul and life lack nothing as You shine Your face upon me. I receive Your goodness and mercy as You, LORD, have made a place for me in Your house. Your thoughts toward me are so precious and very many is the number of them. Help my soul to always dwell in contentment and satisfaction for all that You do for me. I ask this in the name above every name, Jesus Messiah/Christ. AMEN."
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