Week 12: Making Connections

This week's Bible reading plan is as follows:

*Sunday: Numbers 26:52-28:15; Luke 3:1-22; Psalm 61:1-8; Proverbs 11:16-17
*Monday: Numbers 28:16-29:40; Luke 3:23-38; Psalm 62:1-12; Proverbs 11:18-19
*Tuesday: Numbers 30:1-31:54; Luke 4:1-30; Psalm 63:1-11; Proverbs 11:20-21
*Wednesday: Numbers 32:1-33:39; Luke 4:31-5:11; Psalm 64:1-10; Proverbs 11:22
*Thursday: Numbers 33:40-35:34; Luke 5:12-28; Psalm 65:1-13; Proverbs 11:23
*Friday: Numbers 36:1-Deuteronomy 1:46; Luke 5:29-6:11; Psalm 66:1-20; Proverbs 11:24-26
*Saturday: Deuteronomy 2:1-3:29; Luke 6:12-38; Psalm 67:1-7; Proverbs 11:27


Scripture: Numbers 27:15-19
"Then Moses said to the LORD, 'O LORD, you are the God who gives breath to all creatures. Please appoint a new man as leader for the community. Give them someone who will guide them wherever they go and will lead them into battle, so the community of the LORD will not be like sheep without a shepherd.'
"The LORD replied, 'Take Joshua son of Nun, who has the Spirit in him, and lay your hands on him. Present him to Eleazar the priest before the whole community, and publicly commission him to lead the people.'"

Observation:
I just saw a connection that I had not observed until this morning. When God informed Moses that he would soon die, his only concern was for the community of Israel. He prayed that God would give the people someone to guide them and lead them into battle so they "will not be like sheep without a shepherd." Then God instructed Moses to take Joshua son of Nun, who has the Spirit in him, and lay hands on him.

Here's the connection. The Greek equivalent of the Hebrew name, Joshua, is Jesus. So when Moses prayed that God would keep them from wandering aimlessly, like sheep without a shepherd, God presented Yeshua (Hebrew), Iesus (Greek).

Of course Joshua son of Nun is not Jesus Christ, but this is nevertheless a striking connection. Both Matthew and Mark's Gospels associate the phrase, "like sheep without a shepherd," with Jesus: "When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were confused and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd" (Matthew 9:36). "Jesus saw the huge crowd as he stepped from the boat, and he had compassion on them because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things" (Mark 6:34).

Many generations after Moses, long after Israel had lost its way, the prophet Micaiah declared, "In a vision I saw all Israel scattered on the mountains, like sheep without a shepherd" (1 Kings 22:17). Many years later Ezekiel chastised the religious leaders of his day, claiming that they had forsaken their task as God's appointed shepherds: "So my sheep have been scattered without a shepherd, and they are easy prey for any wild animal. They have wandered through all the mountains and all the hills, across the face of the earth, yet no one has gone to search for them" (Ezekiel 34:5, 6).

In Jesus Christ we come full circle, back to Moses' prayer. When Moses prayed for a leader to keep God’s people from endless wandering, he gave them Joshua. Centuries later, when we were wandering like sheep without a shepherd, God gave us Jesus.

Application:
This insight reinforces my appreciation for the living nature of God's word. I can read the Bible over and over and never exhaust its wisdom and insight. Many years ago, one of my professors said, "When you read the Bible, you meet God." I experienced that today in my reading of Moses' prayer and the appointment of Joshua son of Nun. Jesus Christ, the Good Shepherd, has rescued me from my endless wandering and brought me into the safety of his embrace.

Prayer:
Thank you, Father, for speaking to us through your word, which is living and active. Thank you for rescuing me from a life of endless wandering and for bringing me into the safety of Jesus' embrace. Amen.

Have a blessed week!

Faithfully,
Chuck