Author: Charlie Garrett

Numbers 31:25-54 (The Spoils of Midian)

Charlie Garrett Numbers (Written)

Numbers 31:25-54
The Spoils of Midian

In the doctrinal and ethical portion of his commentary on this passage, John Lange equates what we see in Numbers 31 with what the Christian should be involved in at all times, meaning a battle against the foe. He says –

“As Jehovah is Israel’s God, who has bound Himself with them, so every attack upon Israel is an attack upon God. The analogy which holds between the war of Israel against the Midianites and the Christian warfare of all the people of God against His foes and theirs, is suggestive and instructive.”

It is certain that he is not referring to a war against non-believers, such as the crusades. What we see in Israel is an earthly nation selected to be the people of God, and who are to be obedient to Him in all ways. As He directs, they are to comply.

At times, what the Lord directs in the Old Testament may hurt our modern sensibilities, but the Lord is God and His judgments are His alone. Our possible dislike of what He has commanded does not negate that what He commanded is right, and that what His people did in the execution of His commands was also right.

Last week we saw that Midian was to face vengeance for what they did, and they indeed received the full measure of it. This week, we will see the rewards for Israel’s obedience to the call. And, along with their rewards, they display something quite often neglected by the Lord’s people – both in the Bible and in our daily life.

Text Verse: “I will remember the works of the Lord;
Surely I will remember Your wonders of old.
12 I will also meditate on all Your work,
And talk of Your deeds.” Psalm 77:11, 12

The psalmist said that he would remember the works and wonders of the Lord, and that he would also mediate on them and… talk of them. It is a note of gratitude for the Lord’s hand upon his life. It is the sin of ingratitude which must most fill the hearts of Christians in general. Maybe not at first, but as the years go by, we forget that the debt we were forgiven, and the mercies we were shown, were not just small things, but that they bear infinite weight.

Of ingratitude, Benjamin Franklin said, “Most people return small favors, acknowledge medium ones and repay greater ones – with ingratitude.” That is certainly true with the Christian.

When we pray about our sick dog, we are grateful when it gets better and we decide to do something good to return to the Lord the favor. Maybe by praying for another person’s sick dog. That seems fair. When we have something pretty big happen in our life, we will generally acknowledge it. “The Lord sure pulled me out of that fire. I could have died, but the cancer was cured. Maybe I’ll go to church on Sunday. Well, just one Sunday.”

But of the greatest favor of all, that of being forgiven of all of our sin and granted new life in Christ, it is sadly true that most Christians repay the Lord with a state of complete ingratitude. Really think about the lives of those believers we know and see if how they conduct themselves is as if they are truly, truly grateful.

I think that for the most part, you will see that we really don’t demonstrate a level of gratitude commensurate with the size of the favor that was bestowed upon us. Obviously, we can never repay an infinite, but at least we have an infinite amount of time to try. The problem is, that it’s easier to put it off until sometime later. And later is, after all, an infinite all by itself.

Israel demonstrates gratitude in today’s verses, and when they do, Moses and Eleazar take the sign of that gratitude and lay it up before the Lord as a memorial. The word there is zikaron. That comes from zakar, or “remember,” which is the exact word the psalmist used in our text verse, saying that he would remember the works of the Lord.

Let us remember the works of the Lord, and let His works be as a memorial to us so that we never forget, and never fail to be grateful for what He has done for us. Let the eternal “later” not be found on our lips or in our actions.

Instead, may we be grateful right now and forever, and let us do so through the holy war that we engage in. Not an earthly, fleshly battle, but a spiritual one that we have been charged to fight. And, in the conduct of our war, then our deeds of faith in that battle can be stored up as their own memorial before God of our faithfulness to His kind hand upon us.

This is a precept which has been given to us in His superior word. And so, let’s turn to that precious word once again and… May God speak to us through His word today and may His glorious name ever be praised.

I. Much Plunder (verses 25-47)

25 Now the Lord spoke to Moses, saying:

The translation is incorrect. In fact, very few translations caught the change. Such an introductory phrase normally says, “And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying…” Here it says the much rarer, “And the Lord said to Moses, saying.”

The Hebrew words for “spoke” and “said” carry essentially the same idea, that of conveying a message, but “said” is more concise. It usually means the task is complex and it requires a partnership and people working together.” This is what will be seen…

26 “Count up the plunder that was taken—of man and beast—

sa eth rosh malqoakh ha’shevi – “Lift up the head of the plunder of the captive.” It is a way of saying that each head is to be counted of the living prey. That is further defined as ba’adam u-ba’behemah, or “of man and of beast.” All that was taken as a living prey is what is spoken of here.

26 (con’t) you and Eleazar the priest and the chief fathers of the congregation;

These are certainly required so that no one could later say that an unfair counting was made. The leader, the high priest, and all of the rashe, or heads, of the congregation would be included in the counting. Thus, it would be a fair and unbiased counting.

27 and divide the plunder into two parts, between those who took part in the war, who went out to battle, and all the congregation.

The idea here is that all of the living spoil was gathered in one whole, and then it was divided equally into two parts. The division would be without partiality so that no one could say, “They got the better half.” From there, one half would go to those who went to battle, a small portion of the whole number of Israel.

As there were over 600,000 counted as ready for battle in the recent census, and as only 12,000 of those were selected, the division seems hugely one-sided and unfair, but it is not. By dividing it this way, it would spur those who were battle capable in the future to willingly go out to fight.

These 12,000 represented the whole, and they had earned what was won in battle. But the congregation was still entitled to a half because they were represented by their fighting men who had gone to war. For any who died in battle, a portion would naturally be set aside for the tribe as an honor of their fallen hero. What comes later in this passage does not negate this division. Rather, it highlights it.

28 And levy a tribute for the Lord on the men of war who went out to battle: 

v’haremota mekes l’Yehovah – “And raise a computation to Yehovah.” The verb is rum, it signifies to lift up or raise. It is the basis for the word terumah, or heave offering. This is what is being conveyed. It is to be as a heave offering to the Lord.

The word translated as “tribute” is a new word, mekes. It signifies a computation or a tax. It will be seen six times in this passage and nowhere else. This first mekes is to be taken from the half set apart for those who went out to the battle.

28 (con’t) one of every five hundred of the persons, the cattle, the donkeys, and the sheep;

Here it says, ekhad nephesh, or “one soul.” It defines the beings as living. Of the living beings, one of every five hundred of each category is to be raised up to the Lord.

29 take it from their half, and give it to Eleazar the priest as a heave offering to the Lord.

The idea here is that this 1/5th of a percent would be the Lord’s portion as acknowledgment that the victory was ultimately His. This was to be given to Eleazar who represented the Lord and who stood as representative of all of the priests who would be included in the reception of the offering.

30 And from the children of Israel’s half you shall take one of every fifty, drawn from the persons, the cattle, the donkeys, and the sheep, from all the livestock,

Instead of 1/5th of a percent which was drawn out from the warrior’s half, here 2 percent is drawn from the people’s half. There is the obvious reason that because their risks were less, their taxed portion should be greater. Secondly, it is because of who receives what is drawn off in this 2 percent portion…

30 (con’t) and give them to the Levites who keep charge of the tabernacle of the Lord.”

Whereas there are few priests, there are many Levites. Therefore, as a suitable offering to them for their service between the priests and the people, they were given a larger percent from the people’s half.

One can see here how the troops who went to battle were reckoned as the Lord’s army. Phinehas the priest went with them, thus they represented the Lord in battle. The people who remained at camp, remained under the service of the Levites. Thus, the portions which have been levied from the two halves reflect these divisions.

As it says, the Levites are those who “keep the charge of the tabernacle of the Lord.” This is the fifth of nine times that the term mishkan Yehovah, or “tabernacle of the Lord” is used. When the term is used, it anticipates the Person of Christ because every part of the tabernacle reflects Him and His work.

The Levites are those who minister, standing in place of the firstborn of the congregation, and thus they represent Christ, the Firstborn of God. Each thing we are seeing anticipates Christ in one way or another. The offerings made anticipate offerings made to God in Christ.

31 So Moses and Eleazar the priest did as the Lord commanded Moses.

It is the standard note of compliance. The Lord has commanded, and the command is attended to according to His word.

32 The booty remaining from the plunder, which the men of war had taken,

What these words mean is not clear. It could mean that what is going to be detailed here is besides the other plunder not included in the living beings, some of which will be detailed in verse 50. Or, it could be the plunder that was left after the women and boys had been killed, and any animals eaten by the army during the campaign. Either way, after whatever is being referred to, the following amounts of plunder to be divided are given…

32 (con’t) was six hundred and seventy-five thousand sheep,

With a total of sheep at 675,000, this would mean 337,500 for the soldiers, and 675 from that to the Lord, meaning to the priests. It would mean that each soldier got 28 sheep as well. The people’s half would also be 337,500, and the Levites would receive 6,750 from that.

33 seventy-two thousand cattle,

A total of 72,000 cattle means 36,000 for the soldiers, and 72 from that to the Lord, meaning to the priests. It would mean that each soldier got 3 cattle as well. The people’s half would also be 36,000, and the Levites would receive 720 from that.

34 sixty-one thousand donkeys,

A total of 61,000 donkeys means 30,500 for the soldiers, and 61 to the Lord, meaning to the priests. It would mean that each soldier got 2 donkeys, but there would be 6,500 extra that would need to be divided in some fair way between them. The people’s half would be 30,500, and the Levites would receive 610 from that.

35 and thirty-two thousand persons in all, of women who had not known a man intimately.

A total of 32,000 young virgins means 16,000 for the soldiers, and 32 to the Lord, meaning to the priests. There would be one virgin for each soldier, but there would be about 4,000 extra that would need to be divided in some fair way between them. The people’s half would be 16,000, and the Levites would receive 320 from that.

36 And the half, the portion for those who had gone out to war, was in number three hundred and thirty-seven thousand five hundred sheep;

This is the warrior’s half. As noted, it would mean that each soldier got 28 sheep. Also…

37 and the Lord’s tribute of the sheep was six hundred and seventy-five.

The priests, being small in number, fared very well.

38 The cattle were thirty-six thousand, of which the Lord’s tribute was seventy-two.

This is the warrior’s half. As noted, it would mean that each soldier received right at 3 cattle, with the priest’s 72 being taken out first.

39 The donkeys were thirty thousand five hundred, of which the Lord’s tribute was sixty-one.

This was the warrior’s half. As noted, it would mean that each soldier got 2 donkeys, but there would be about 6,500 extra that would need to be divided in some fair way between them, but the Lord’s tribute of 61 would be taken out first.

40 The persons were sixteen thousand, of which the Lord’s tribute was thirty-two persons.

This is the warrior’s half. As noted, it would mean that each soldier got one virgin, but there would be about 4,000 extra that would need to be divided in some fair way between them, but the Lord’s tribute of 32 would be taken out first.

In all, each soldier who went to war came out with a bit more than 28 sheep, 3 cows, 2 donkeys, and one virgin. And that was only of the living beings. The other plunder is not even reckoned in the total. Thus, being a soldier was a very profitable deal, and the great amount they received would be a huge impetus for all able fighting men to volunteer for such battles.

41 So Moses gave the tribute which was the Lord’s heave offering to Eleazar the priest, as the Lord commanded Moses.

The priest’s portion totaled 675 sheep, 72 cows, 61 donkeys, and 32 virgins. This was considered the Lord’s heave offering, and it was accepted on His behalf by Eleazar the priest. As a side note to keep you interested, the word mekes or “tribute” was introduced in verse 28. It was seen five more times since then. This being the last time it will be seen in the Bible. Hello and goodbye to mekes.

42 And from the children of Israel’s half, which Moses separated from the men who fought—

The numbers for those who did not go out to battle – meaning all of the rest of Israel – is detailed as follows…

43 now the half belonging to the congregation was three hundred and thirty-seven thousand five hundred sheep,

Of this, the Levites would receive 6,750 from that.

44 thirty-six thousand cattle,

Of this, the Levites would receive 720 from that.

45 thirty thousand five hundred donkeys,

Of this, the Levites would receive 610 from that.

46 and sixteen thousand persons—

Of this, the Levites would receive 320 from that.

47 and from the children of Israel’s half Moses took one of every fifty, drawn from man and beast, and gave them to the Levites, who kept charge of the tabernacle of the Lord, as the Lord commanded Moses.

In all, the Levites received 6750 sheep, 720 cows, 610 donkeys, and 320 virgins.

We bear the shield and by faith head in
We gird ourselves with truth as we seek the reward
We have a helmet of salvation for the battle to win
And in our hand, we carry the Spirit’s sword

Yes, the word of God is the instrument by which we fight
And prayer is the line to our side’s Head
Upon our feet is the gospel of peace, as is right
And we have prevailed in the battle; the enemy lies dead

 The spoil is piled high from the battle of which we fought
There is great reward for those who entered the fight
On behalf of the Lord, the battle was wrought
And the rewards piled high are a beautiful sight

II. Not a Man is Missing (verses 48-54)

48 Then the officers who were over thousands of the army, the captains of thousands and captains of hundreds, came near to Moses;

This would be 12 captains of thousands and 120 captains of hundreds. Coming as a united whole, and after the division of living beings having gone so favorably in their direction, this would not be to submit a grievance at their unfair treatment. Rather, they must be amassing for something positive, gratitude perhaps. Or, maybe something even more wonderful…

49 and they said to Moses, “Your servants have taken a count of the men of war who are under our command, and not a man of us is missing.

It is a rather astonishing statement, which – of course – some in history have called out as a fabrication of the truth. However, the very fact that they will make the offering they are about to make stands as a testimony to the truth of the account. Stalin once said that “If only one man dies of hunger, that is a tragedy. If millions die, that’s only statistics.”

This is, unfortunately, a true way of looking at death. If a single soldier had died, the entire army would have come together to mourn that one loss – especially standing so close to entry into Canaan. Each and every living soldier would have taken that single loss as a personal failure.

But, if many had died, they would have taken it as a loss expected in a battle, written a warrior’s song of remembrance, and gone back to prepare for the next battle. There would have been personal mourning for friends, but overall, it would be a time of celebration for the victory.

However, neither occurred. Instead, they have come forward in acknowledgment of what is a true miracle. It doesn’t matter if they attacked before sunrise, or if it was a special Midianite holiday to sleep in all day, the expectation is that there would be losses.

Based on the number of virgins and animals that were taken as plunder, the scholar Keil estimates that the number of Midianites would have been about 130,000 to 150,000 people, of whom there would have been about 35,000 fighting-capable men.

That would make the odds about 3 to 1. Even with the advantage of surprise, the battle would have been an uphill one with many expected casualties. Instead, however, there was not only a rout of the enemy, it was a complete rout and an absolute victory. Only this can explain the next words…

50 Therefore we have brought an offering for the Lord, what every man found of ornaments of gold: armlets and bracelets and signet rings and earrings and necklaces,

Five types of gold ornaments are named here, the identification of which is difficult for some. The bracelets and signet rings are pretty certainly identified, but the other three are debated due to the rarity of the words used. Five is the number of grace, and this offering is based on the grace granted to the warriors.

All are rare, and two are new words. The first is the etsadah. It will only be seen twice. It comes from tseadah, or “a marching,” and thus it is a type of chain, translated here as “armlets.”

Another new and rare word is agil, or ring. This comes from agol, meaning round, and thus it is believed to be a hoop-style earring. It too will be seen just twice – here and in Ezekiel 16:12.

And finally, this verse contains the second and last use of the word kumaz, translated here as “necklace.” It is some type of gold ornament, though the identity is not certain.

These five types of gold ornaments are brought forward. It is debated whether only the captains brought them forward from their own booty, or whether all of the soldiers gave of what they had to the captains who then brought it all forward. Either way, they state that they are bringing this offering forward…

50 (con’t) to make atonement for ourselves before the Lord.”

The word kaphar, or atonement, simply means “to cover over.” In this, it extends to the idea of appeasing, or covering over for wrongdoing, and thus to make atonement. Scholars suggest that this was brought forward to make atonement for not having killed the women and male children, but that is not what they are tying the offering to.

Rather, they are connecting the giving of the offering to the fact that no loss of life occurred. It can be assumed, then, that if there was a loss of life, they would not have felt impelled to bring this offering forward. Therefore, the covering, or appeasement, seems to be proactive, not reactive.

They are gratefully acknowledging the Lord’s care over them. If they failed to do this, then they would be sinning against the Lord. Ingratitude is one of the greatest offenses man is guilty of. How much more in a situation as rare as this!

51 So Moses and Eleazar the priest received the gold from them, all the fashioned ornaments.

The words of the previous verse, along with these words, shows that all of what is presented is of gold. And further, it is gold which is maaseh, or worked. It is not merely gold, which was kept as money, but gold which was fashioned through works, or deeds, of effort. Of this gold, the record then says…

52 And all the gold of the offering that they offered to the Lord, from the captains of thousands and captains of hundreds, was sixteen thousand seven hundred and fifty shekels.

Scholars vary in what they believe the weight of a shekel was. The Pulpit Commentary assumes that a shekel equals 66 of an ounce. If that is so, then the total amount of gold presented as an offering to the Lord would have been about 11,000 ounces. As of 19 August, the day I typed this, that would equal at current gold prices about $16,613,850.

Some scholars say that the five kings of Midian alone would be expected to possess that much gold. If so, then it is not an outlandish amount which would make the account implausible, but rather it would confirm the account is accurate and reliable.

Further, in Judges 8, Gideon asked the men of Israel to give him a gift of the earrings alone which had been plundered from the battle against Midian at that time. These were only men who fell in battle, meaning soldiers, and so they would not bear all the gold of the family with them.

The weight of only the earrings given by each man in his army came out to 1700 shekels. Therefore, the amount here is not at all outlandish. It included all of the wealth of the houses and people, and that of the kings as well.

53 (The men of war had taken spoil, every man for himself.)

Although debated, as is usual, this seems to indicate that all of the men of war had gone about taking spoil, and that each of them gave from his spoil for this offering to the Lord. Others argue that it is telling exactly the opposite, and that only the officers gave of their spoil and everyone else gathered for himself without adding to the offering. The verses, as written, don’t really answer the matter well enough for a fixed stand one way or the other.

*54 (fin) And Moses and Eleazar the priest received the gold from the captains of thousands and of hundreds, and brought it into the tabernacle of meeting as a memorial for the children of Israel before the Lord.

This final verse of the chapter says that the gift that was offered up to the Lord was then brought into the tent (not tabernacle) of meeting to be a memorial before the Lord. The idea here is that of the faithfulness of the people to show appreciation for the great deliverance He had wrought.

It is certain that thanks and appreciation wax and wane through time and circumstance, and so this memorial was to be a reminder that at one time, the people were grateful, and that the Lord would hopefully remember this and be merciful during those times when appreciation was lacking.

It would also bear the remembrance that Israel had complied with the word of the Lord to take vengeance on Midian. They had mustered men and sent them out in faith that they would be victorious, despite the small force which had been selected to carry out the task.

And further, it is probable that some of the gold had even come from some of the women who had been brought as captives to the outskirts of the camp, and yet who were then sentenced to die without being assimilated into the people of Israel.

It could be that as many as 50,000 women were ordered to be executed, and it could be argued that if there were 32,000 virgins who were spared, there may have been as many as 32,000 young boys who weren’t. That would be over 80,000 destroyed.

Supposing those numbers were high, what number could we reduce it to and still have the soldiers not care about what they needed to do? If the total number was an impossibly low 24,000, that would still mean that each soldier would have to execute two non-combatants.

The offering of the gold was gratitude for the sparing of their souls, but it would also be as a memorial to the Lord that their souls were spared in order to complete the duties they were assigned, and of which they certainly accomplished.

The military force of Israel was the Lord’s arm of judgment for an attack against His people. This meant that it was an attack against Him. If the Lord wished to send a plague among the people, they would have been no less dead, but He chose this time to use Israel to defend the honor of Israel and the honor of His name.

The gold presented to Him had no more intrinsic value to Him than anything else that could have been presented. But it carried the value of a sign of both obedience and of gratitude to Him. King Saul would later fail to show either to the Lord, and it would cost him his kingship.

Saul may have looked back on what occurred here at Midian and thought he was justified to have killed every Amalekite human and to have spared the animals as Israel did here with the Midianites. But that was a different time and his were different orders.

Maybe he thought that the gold of Midian still stood as a memorial which would atone for his failure to obey, but he was mistaken. Instead, Samuel spoke out his words of rebuke to Saul –

“Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices,
As in obeying the voice of the Lord?
Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice,
And to heed than the fat of rams.
23 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft,
And stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry.
Because you have rejected the word of the Lord,
He also has rejected you from being king.” 1 Samuel 15:22, 23

The obligation of God’s people, at any time in history, is to be obedient to the Lord in accord with His word as it applies to that point in history. We cannot go back to the Law of Moses, for example, and attempt to be righteous before God by adhering to it.

That is to demean the work of Christ who lived out the law and who then offers to us His righteousness as demonstrated in His fulfillment of the law. We cannot use the examples of either war against Midian or war against Amalek as examples of how we are to engage in holy war. Those were earthly battles of Israel, by Israel, and for the honor of Israel’s God.

Today, we may engage in earthly battles as citizens of the nation we are born into, but those are not holy wars. The holy war of the Christian is one which is outlined by Paul in the New Testament. Paul is explicit that our holy war is not against flesh and blood. Rather, it is a spiritual battle.

There is no longer a need for earthly holy wars because Israel’s ultimate battle, that against sin, was won by Christ. We now follow suit in that same battle. And its rules for conduct are not optional. Just as Israel obeyed the Lord and destroyed the women and male children of Midian, we are to obey the precepts of the Lord as He has outlined them to us.

If you are not actively participating in the war we have been charged to conduct, you are not being faithful to the Lord who has so charged you. Church on Sunday morning is only meant to be a place of preparation for you to be ready to conduct your warfare throughout the week. Although Paul’s words in Ephesians 6 are not the total of our obligations in this battle we are to conduct, they do give us a good summary statement of what we are to do –

“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; 18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints— 19 and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.” Ephesians 6:10-20

Let us be prepared, let us be willing, and let us be obedient to the calling. Israel was told to take vengeance on Midian and a force of men went forward to do so. Their rewards were felt among all of the people of Israel.

Likewise, when we are obedient to the charge set before us, our rewards will be great, and the entire body will prosper because of it. But, just as those young virgins were brought into the nation of Israel as an act of grace and mercy, so we must come into the body of believers in the same way.

We must come with nothing in our hands, but the simple petition to be granted life. The physical purity of these Midianite women is to be likened unto our spiritual purity in order to be accepted. And the only way that can come about is through a new birth. And that can only come about by coming to God through Christ Jesus.

So, today you are admonished to first get right with the Lord through faith in Jesus, and then to prepare yourself daily to be right with the Lord through adherence and obedience to His word. May it be so for each one of us who desires to have our maaseh, or deeds of faith, brought before the Lord as a memorial.

Closing Verse: “Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, 13 each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. 14 If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. 15 If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.” 1 Corinthians 3:12-15

Next Week: Numbers 32:1-19 Are they acting as if it is a prison and Moses is the Warden? … (Do Not Take Us Over the Jordan) (62nd Numbers Sermon)

The Lord has you exactly where He wants you. He has a good plan and purpose for you. It may seem at times as if you are lost in a desert, wandering aimlessly. But the Lord is there, carefully leading you to the Land of Promise. So, follow Him and trust Him and He will do marvelous things for you and through you.

The Spoils of Midian

Now the Lord spoke to Moses, saying:
These words to him He was then relaying

“Count up the plunder that was taken—of man and beast
———-hear now my oration
You and Eleazar the priest and the chief fathers of the congregation

And divide the plunder into two parts
Between those who took part in the war, where my fury was spent
Who went out to battle, and all the congregation
And levy a tribute for the Lord on the men of war
———-who out to battle went 

One of every five hundred of the persons
The cattle, the donkeys, and the sheep; according to this word
Take it from their half, and give it to Eleazar the priest
As a heave offering to the Lord 

And from the children of Israel’s half
You shall take one of every fifty, drawn from the persons
The cattle, the donkeys, and the sheep
From all the livestock and give them to the Levites who the charge
———-of the tabernacle of the Lord keep 

So Moses and Eleazar the priest, as was demanded
Did as the Lord to Moses commanded

The booty remaining from the plunder
Which the men of war had taken, in the war
Was six hundred and seventy-five thousand sheep
Seventy-two thousand cattle. But wait! There’s more

Sixty-one thousand donkeys
And thirty-two thousand persons in all
Of women who had not known a man intimately
Thus by the sword they did not fall

And the half, the portion for those who had gone out to war
Was in number three hundred and thirty-seven thousand
———-five hundred sheep
And the Lord’s tribute of the sheep
Was six hundred and seventy-five; that’s a whole heap

The cattle were thirty-six thousand
Of which the Lord’s tribute was seventy-two
The donkeys were thirty thousand five hundred
Of which the Lord’s tribute was sixty-one, whoo-hooo!

The persons were sixteen thousand, there in plain view
Of which the Lord’s tribute was persons thirty-two

So Moses gave the tribute
Which was the Lord’s heave offering, according to His word
To Eleazar the priest
As had commanded Moses the Lord

And from the children of Israel’s half, as was brought
Which Moses separated from the men who fought

Now the half belonging to the congregation
Was three hundred and thirty-seven thousand five hundred sheep
Thirty-six thousand cattle, thirty thousand five hundred donkeys
And sixteen thousand persons. Once again, that’s a whole heap 

And from the children of Israel’s half
Moses took one of every fifty, drawn from man and beast
And gave them to the Levites, who kept charge
———-of the tabernacle of the Lord
As the Lord commanded Moses, then the dividing ceased

Then the officers who were over thousands of the army
The captains of thousands and captains of hundreds too
Came near to Moses
And they said to Moses – their words to Moses did ensue

“Your servants have taken a count
Of the men of war who are under our command; hear our word
And not a man of us is missing
Therefore we have brought an offering for the Lord

What every man found of ornaments of gold
Armlets and bracelets and signet rings. (So much we have scored!)
And earrings and necklaces
To make atonement for ourselves before the Lord

So Moses and Eleazar the priest, those two fine gents
Received the gold from them, all the fashioned ornaments

And all the gold of the offering that they offered to the Lord
From the captains of thousands and captains of hundreds too
Was sixteen thousand seven hundred and fifty shekels
That’s a whole heap, I’m telling you

The men of war had taken spoil, every man for himself
And Moses and Eleazar the priest received the gold
———-according to their word
From the captains of thousands and of hundreds
And brought it into the tabernacle of meeting as a memorial
———-for the children of Israel before the Lord

Lord God, we are even now in a wilderness
And we are wanting to be led by You
Without You to direct, our lives would be a mess
And so be our guide, O God; You who are faithful and true

We long for the water in this barren land
May it flow forth from the Rock, our souls to satisfy
Give us this refreshing, spiritual hand
And may we take it, and to our lives daily it apply

And we shall be content and satisfied in You alone
We will follow You as we sing our songs of praise
Hallelujah to You; to us Your path You have shown
Hallelujah we shall sing to You for all of our days

Hallelujah and Amen…

1 Peter 2:7

Charlie Garrett 1 Peter (Written)

Sunday, 20 October 2019

Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious; but to those who are disobedient,
“The stone which the builders rejected
Has become the chief cornerstone,” 1 Peter 2:7

Peter now expands on what he just said. He cited Isaiah with the words, “And he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame.” The result of that is that, “Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious.” The NKJV translation is not reflective of the Greek. The word to describe Him is a noun, and it is preceded by an article, and the verb is present and active. It more correctly reads, “For to you that are believing is the preciousness.”

The word “preciousness,” signifies honor, and it contrasts the “shame” just referred to. Instead of being put to shame, there is honor for those who believe. Faith in Christ bears its own preciousness before God. However, Peter then speaks of “those who are disobedient.” Again, the verb is present and active. It reads, “those who are disbelieving.” The word signifies a refusal to be persuaded, and it is exactly what the leaders of Israel did. They hardened their hearts to the truth of God in Christ. Peter is showing a contrast between the two in order to show the results of their ongoing disbelief.

In that state, they are included among those of whom the psalmist spoke, and also of whom Christ referred to during His earthly ministry. He cited the words of Psalm 118:22 as is recorded in all three synoptic gospels. In Acts 4, Peter also cited them, and here again he cites them. It is obviously a very important concept for the Jews to understand then.

Jesus spoke to them under the law, Peter spoke to them in the Sanhedrin attempting to show them the contrast between the law and the grace which came through Christ’s work, and now he continues to show the importance of what Christ did. And so, once again, he cites the psalm, beginning with, “The stone which the builders rejected.”

It is referring to Christ Jesus being the one rejected by the leaders of Israel. The idea of the leaders being the builders is that they were responsible for the spiritual lives of the people. The law was given to provide life to the man who did the things of the law (Leviticus 18:5). In Christ, who was born without sin, and who lived without sin, He accomplished those things. He became the necessary stone to begin the foundation of a true temple which would be based on eternal life, but they rejected Him.

However, God did not. Instead, He was chosen of God and “Has become the chief cornerstone.” The Greek reads, “the head of the corner.” It signifies the place where the very corner, meaning the cornerstone, sits. Everything in the foundation is dependent upon that point. Thus, everything in the building itself is dependent upon it. The true temple, where eternal life is found, is dependent upon the Stone who is Jesus.

There was no need for Paul to cite this set of words, because Paul’s ministry is to the Gentiles. However, the same gospel is found for both. The difference is that there is individual salvation for Jews, and there is collective salvation for Israel. Until the leadership of Israel acknowledges Christ as this true Stone and call out for Him, Israel as a collective whole will continue to be kept from the promises to them which have been anticipated since their inception as the people of God.

Life application: Psalm 118 is known as a messianic psalm because of its predictions of the coming Messiah. Each time it is cited in the New Testament, it is specifically applied to Jesus, His work, and His rejection by the nation of Israel. Despite His rejection and their attempts to nullify His work, He prevailed and has become the chief cornerstone. It is on Him that the church is established, and from Him all else proceeds, properly aligned and both level and plumb. Any congregation or body of believers which is properly grounded in Him will be successful – not particularly in numbers or wealth, but in right doctrine and sound faith.

Peter says, “…to you who believe, He is precious.” How do you care for your home? Do you treat it as a comfortable place to live, keep clean, properly maintain, and enjoy? Is your home dirty and not well maintained? We have an eternal home that is built on the precious Person of Jesus, and we are all being built into a living temple where God will reside, illuminated by His splendor through Jesus.

If you know that this is true, and that our position in this home is given to us because of what Jesus did, shouldn’t we be pursuing Him, His word, and His glory? Let us endeavor to keep our spiritual house clean and free from fault, and let us further ensure that we are being built properly by reading and applying the Bible to our lives. Rather than being careless about our eternal dwelling, let us give it the attention is rightly deserves. And let us do it in a way that others will see our works and give God the glory He is due.

Yes, O God! Jesus is the precious cornerstone of our eternal dwelling. Because You have given such attention to us in the giving of Your Son, please remind us of our responsibility to you – working to become an acceptable living stone in Your glorious temple. Give us the strong urge and desire to pursue You and Your word, so that we will be properly trained in righteousness. Amen.

1 Peter 2:6

Charlie Garrett 1 Peter (Written)

Saturday, 19 October 2019

Therefore it is also contained in the Scripture,
“Behold, I lay in Zion
A chief cornerstone, elect, precious,
And he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame.” 1 Peter 2:6

For the previous two verses, Peter has been speaking of Christ in a metaphor, as a living stone. He then equated believers to living stones as well, and notes that believers are being built into a spiritual house. To build upon this, he says “Therefore.” In essence, “Because of this, let me explain further.” And so, he continues by showing that this is a concept already established by God, by saying, “it is also contained in the Scripture.”

Here, Peter uses a rare word, periechó, to explain that what he is going to convey is found in a particular part of Scripture. It is contained, or enclosed, there. It is, therefore, something which is given as a divinely inspired precept and worthy of note in the present context.

Scripture at the time of Peter was our Hebrew Old Testament. It is true that apostolic writings were already being considered on the same level of authority (see 2 Peter 3:15), but Peter is specifically referring to the Hebrew writings. In this case, he cites Isaiah 28:16 –

“Therefore thus says the Lord God:
‘Behold, I lay in Zion a stone for a foundation,
A tried stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation;
Whoever believes will not act hastily.’”

The words Peter quotes more closely follow the Greek translation of Isaiah, rather than this Hebrew translation. It is a passage also cited by Paul in Romans 9:33. In Paul’s citation, he shows that the prophecy was referring to Jesus, and that the Jews, for the most part, missed the significance of what Christ did. Christ’s work was a work which led to grace, not further law observance. Because of this, the Jews – ever intent on relying on their own works under the law – tripped over what Christ did.

Peter, speaking to the Jews, shows that this is the case. He is confirming Paul’s words that there is one gospel for both Jew and for Gentile. It is that God has laid the foundation for faith in the sending of His Son, the Messiah. The words, “Behold, I lay in Zion,” mean that the message was first given to the people of Israel. Christ came to them, and He accomplished His work among them. God was in Christ, bringing about His redemptive plans for Israel. In this, He was laying out His foundation upon which man would be restored to Him.

Peter then continues with, “A chief cornerstone.” This is speaking of Messiah. The cornerstone is the first and most important stone of a building. From it, everything else extends. The word used by Peter for “chief cornerstone” is the Greek word akrogoniaion. It is a special word, unique to the Bible, and is used only twice in its pages. The other use is by Paul in Ephesians 2:20 –

“…having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone.”

Because of the importance of this stone, Peter then describes it by saying “elect.” The word signifies “chosen out,” or “select.” Humanity is the source from which the election is made, but only one Human would be chosen out of humanity. This speaks of Christ’s human nature.

God wove together the stream of humanity, recording it all the way from Adam. It wove through various people throughout history, being carefully detailed concerning who they were. This was often in stories that otherwise seem irrelevant to the narrative. But each story was selected to reveal the line from which this One would come. He is the Elect of humanity.

He is also “precious.” The word signifies “highly honored.” It is a state of high personal respect. Obviously, this is God’s perception of Him because it is the Lord who is being cited by Isaiah, and who Peter then quotes. The Lord God has a personal high regard for this One who would be the Cornerstone. This is so much so that the quote finishes with, “And he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame.”

There is to be found in this One, that Isaiah speaks of, a point of trust and directed-faith. In other words, the Lord God indicates that by placing faith in this Cornerstone, they will not later be disgraced, frustrated, or ashamed. The faith placed in Him will be properly directed faith. As Peter now cites this as referring to Jesus (as did Paul), it is showing – without any doubt, vagueness, or ambiguity – that Christ is the end of the law.

This is because the law is a body of works. In essence, “Do these things and you will be considered righteous before Me.” However, the Lord says that this is no longer the case in the coming Cornerstone. In essence, “Believe on Jesus and you will be considered righteous before Me.” It shows that the law, under which Christ came, merely anticipated the coming of Christ. True righteousness is not of the law, but in acceptance of the fulfillment of the law as accomplished by Christ Jesus. He provides the justification of the law for any who will trust in Him. It is the exact same gospel message which Paul speaks of. There is one gospel by which man is saved – Jew or Gentile – and it is found by simply trusting in the work of Jesus Christ.

Life application: As noted, the cornerstone is the first stone laid when starting a building and is, therefore, the most important for ensuring that the building will be plumb and level. If this stone is faulty in material, the building will fail. Likewise, if it is placed incorrectly, the building will fail. Because of this, the cornerstone must be very carefully chosen; it must be flawless. It must also be laid by the most skilled builder of all. In the case of Christ, the Cornerstone, the Builder is God Himself.

God is building a temple and He began with His own Son, Jesus Christ. From this starting point, believers from all ages are being built into a spiritual temple. If you have trusted Jesus Christ as your Savior, you have crossed from death to life, and have been selected as a stone in the living temple where God will reside for all eternity. This has been guaranteed by the sealing of His Holy Spirit and can never be taken away. You will never be put to shame.

Out of gratitude, awe, and joy, we should, therefore, endeavor to be acceptable to God in all we do. If you are struggling with this today, as we all do from time to time, let’s pray about it…

Lord God, as living stones in Your glorious temple, we know we need to be holy and acceptable to You. O, but we fail so often. Fill us with Your Holy Spirit as we honor you through the study of Your word, through praising You, and through praying to You. Do this, so that we might live rightly, act appropriately, and conduct our affairs wisely, thus bringing honor to You. This we pray that You will receive the glory You are due through our life and actions. Amen.

 

 

 

1 Peter 2:5

Charlie Garrett 1 Peter (Written)

Friday, 18 October 2019

… you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 2:5

Peter just compared the Lord to a living stone in the previous verse. He now uses the same metaphor concerning believers in Christ by saying, “you also, as living stones.” The comparison is to show that just as Christ is, so we are now as well. As Christ was chosen by God, so God has chosen us. This is to be contrasted with those who have rejected Him. He stated this in the previous verse, and he will continue to show it in the coming verses.

As living stones, Peter next says that believers “are being built up a spiritual house.” The Greek can be formed in one of two ways. The first is passive as translated here (you are being built up). It could also be active and imperative – “you also, as living stones, be built up.” This would go along with what he said in the previous verse. Believers are to come to Christ, and they are to be built up. If this is correct, it is more understandable when being applied to the Jews (his addressees) as a collective group of believers. In other words, “You all need to build yourselves up into a spiritual house.”

What seems more likely, based on the words of Paul elsewhere, is that the passive is being referred to. Christ is not only the Cornerstone, but He is also the Builder. This would then fit with Paul’s use of the same metaphor in Ephesians 2 –

“Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20 having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, 22 in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.”

Paul is clear that Jew and Gentile are being built into the same temple, the spiritual house of God. Therefore, Peter’s words should probably also be taken in this way. The “spiritual house” is that house which is contrasted to the earthly temple made of stone, and which is temporary and can be ransacked and destroyed (as the Jews know all too well, having had their temple destroyed by Babylon and by Rome). Rather, the temple of which we are a part is constructed of living stones which Paul elsewhere speaks of as being “eternal in the heavens” (see 2 Corinthians 5:1).

As our bodies will be eternal, so will the temple, which is comprised of our bodies, be eternal. Peter then continues with, “a holy priesthood.” The idea here is that in a temple, there are priests. Those who form the temple also perform the priestly functions. Teachers of a false gospel will point to this verse and say that the idea of conducting these priestly duties only belongs to Jews, but that Paul never speaks of Gentiles in this manner. This is false. Paul speaks of exactly this in Romans 15:16 –

“…to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles in the priestly service of the gospel of God, so that the offering of the Gentiles may be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.”

What Paul is saying is that sharing the gospel is a priestly duty. Paul was not of the tribe of Levi, and yet he was given the priestly duty of the New Covenant, sharing the gospel. As this is a privilege of any – Jew or Gentile – it shows that the priesthood is that of any believer who performs this service. And the purpose of this is “to offer up spiritual sacrifices.”

The idea here comes from the Old Covenant where sacrifices were literally brought up to the altar to be presented. They were brought from a lower to a high place. They were then lifted or waved before the Lord by the attending priest, being offered up to Him. The picture that one should consider is that of Christ bearing His cross up to Calvary. He is the Living Stone, and we are to emulate Him bearing ourselves up as spiritual sacrifices and living stones, conducting the priestly duties of sharing the gospel, and of bringing these offerings which are acceptable “to God through Jesus Christ.”

The implication is that despite being set apart, and despite being acceptable to offer up sacrifices to God, they are truly only acceptable because they are presented to God through Jesus. He is the One who covers the sins of His people. He is the One in whom they dwell, and it is only through Him that our imperfect offerings can be acceptable to God. One can see in Peter’s words that everything comes back to Christ. Without Him, nothing the believer does is acceptable to God.

Life application: Concerning the spiritual house which both Peter and Paul refer to, no competent architect would ever start a project without knowing exactly how much material was needed to complete the task. When building a home, they will account for how much piping, electric wire, roof shingle, framing wood, etc. is needed. This can and will be calculated exactly so that budgets of time and money are met.

Likewise, God – who is infinitely wise – knows exactly what is needed to build His temple. In a pre-shadowing of this heavenly temple, He gave exact details for the earthy tabernacle (and later the temple) for the people of Israel. Here is an example of this care –

“Then David gave his son Solomon the plans for the vestibule, its houses, its treasuries, its upper chambers, its inner chambers, and the place of the mercy seat; 12 and the plans for all that he had by the Spirit, of the courts of the house of the Lord, of all the chambers all around, of the treasuries of the house of God, and of the treasuries for the dedicated things;” 1 Chronicles 28:11, 12

These plans included all of the materials, but David also set apart detailed numbers of priests, Levites, and others who would do the work – during and after the construction of the temple. Just as these were taken care of by the Holy Spirit, so is the eternal temple being carefully constructed by God.

When the materials are ready, the temple will be finished. God alone knows when the last “living stone” will be chosen, but when that day comes, this House of God will be complete? Have you accepted Christ as Lord and Savior? Every day that goes by is one day closer to that glorious moment. Until then, let us practice our sacrifice of worship –

Praising You today, O God – Yes! Praising You today.
We come into Your presence, Lord, so hear us when we pray!
Glory to You, O God on High, may our song ever be…
Glory to the Lamb of God, Our Precious Savior is He

Lord God, thank You for the promise of an eternal future in Your presence. And thank You that we need do nothing to earn it, but that the price has been paid already. All we need to do is accept what You have done through Your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. May we demonstrate wisdom and simply accept that which You freely offer. Thank You for Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.

 

 

 

 

1 Peter 2:4

Charlie Garrett 1 Peter (Written)

Thursday, 17 October 2019

Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, 1 Peter 2:4

In the previous verse, it was seen that Peter has directly equated Jesus, of whom he was writing about, to the Lord (meaning Jehovah of the Old Testament). As certain as that was from the context, it continues to be verified with his words now. He says, “Coming to Him.” Is he writing about Jesus or God? The answer is “both.”

It is obviously referring to Jesus, because he says in this same verse, “chosen by God.” But he has just equated the Subject (the Lord) of the previous verse to the Lord of the Old Testament by citing the psalm which was referring to the Lord (Jehovah). The words cannot be misconstrued. To deny the deity of Christ is to deny a fundamental tenant of the Bible, and it is to accept heresy.

Peter uses a present participle in the words, “Coming to Him” As Vincent’s Word Studies explains, “Indicating a close (πρός) and an habitual (present participle) approach and an intimate association.” We are to come near to the Lord at all times, and it is to be in a manner which is as if we were coming to our closest relative or friend.

Peter next describes “Him,” by saying, “as to a living stone.” The words “as to” are inserted and unnecessary. He is describing Jesus. “Coming to Him; a living stone.” It is similar to Peter’s own words of Acts 4 –

“This is the ‘stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone.’” Acts 4:11

The reason for Peter saying this is because Jesus used the term of Himself, citing Scripture as He did. That is seen in all three synoptic gospels, such as in Luke 20 –

“What then is this that is written:

‘The stone which the builders rejected
Has become the chief cornerstone’?” Luke 20:17

Jesus was citing the 118th Psalm, which says –

“The stone which the builders rejected
Has become the chief cornerstone.” Psalm 118:22

Jesus was indicating that He was the fulfillment of this messianic psalm. Peter confirms this in Acts 4, and he continues to repeat that now. This will be more fully evident when he cites both the psalm and Isaiah 28 in just a couple verses. Those verses together call out concerning the working of God in Christ. So important is this thought which is seen in the psalms and in Isaiah, that Paul refers to it in Romans 9:32, 33 and Ephesians 2:19-22 as well.

Paul’s words, especially in Ephesians, shows that he and Peter are speaking about the same gospel and the same salvation for Jew and Gentile. This is evident because Peter was speaking to Jews in Acts 4, and he is addressing Jews in this epistle as well. However, Paul is writing to Gentiles in Ephesians 2:19-22 –

“Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20 having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, 22 in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.”

Both apostles refer to Jesus as the cornerstone, and both refer to what God is doing in Christ with his redeemed. We are (Jew and Gentile) being built into an edifice where God will dwell. The heretical doctrine which teaches that there is one salvation for Jew and another for Gentile is to be rejected because it teaches two gospels, not one. There is one gospel for both. To teach otherwise is to teach a false gospel.

Peter next continues with, “rejected indeed by men.” This is what Psalm 118 prophesied, and it is what came about when the leaders of Israel, fulfilling the very words of the Scriptures they were the stewards of, rejected Christ Jesus.

The word translated as “rejected” signifies “to reject after determining something is useless” (HELPS WORD Studies). The leadership of Israel evaluated Christ Jesus, and they found Him tasteless and not worthy of their consideration. In this, they rejected Him as their Messiah. Peter uses the word “men” here, instead of “builders,” as in the psalm to show the obvious contrast between them and God. This is seen in his final words of the verse which say, “but chosen by God and precious.”

Though He was rejected by mere men who are foolish and without understanding, Christ was chosen by God who is all-glorious and all-knowing. The contrast is obvious, and it is Peter’s way of calling out, “Whose side are you on? God’s, or that of man?” For those he is addressing, meaning believers, he is encouraging them to be bold and to act in accord with their calling (as noted in verse 2:1-3).

The final word, “precious,” speaks of that which is held in honor, as of in personal respect. God has placed Christ Jesus at the highest point of honor, making Him the chief cornerstone in the house that He is building. Peter will continue with this thought over the coming verses, demonstrating fully and completely that Jesus is the Messiah, that Jesus is God, and that there is one gospel for all who believe. The message he proclaims is the same as the message that Paul has already put forth in his epistles.

Life application: What does it mean to be a “living stone?” The Bible sometimes uses terms which seem contradictory to the sensibilities of the world.

Take the term “living sacrifice” for example. It doesn’t make sense unless one understands what God expects of us. A sacrifice, by its very nature, is something that dies. Likewise, a “living stone” doesn’t make sense on the surface. But when we realize that it is a metaphor for something else, we can more clearly understand the concept. A stone is something unmoving and unshakable; it indicates permanence and stability.

Jesus is like that to us – He doesn’t change. Instead, He is permanent and reliable. When confronted with His doctrine, the rulers of Israel rejected Him because He wouldn’t relent in properly teaching the things of God and the surety of His word. These people were so caught up in legalism and the teachings of man that they spent their time trying to work out issues completely unrelated to what was expected of them. At one time, Jesus remarked –

“The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. 3 Therefore whatever they tell you to observe, that observe and do, but do not do according to their works; for they say, and do not do. 4 For they bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.” Matthew 23:2-4

Because of this and a host of other words of condemnation, the leaders of Israel rejected Him. However, He carried out His work, the work of God, faithfully. He remains the unchangeable, glorious, and precious Living Stone. Until the end of the ages, Jesus Christ is our eternal and magnificent Lord.

Lord God, what an honor and a blessing to know that You, O Lord, are with us – firm and unchanging. Help us to likewise be firm in our convictions, resolute in our faith, and acceptable to You in our actions. May we be the same – precious living stones in the heavenly temple to come. Amen.