God Commissions the Second Generation

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Second Generation

Wednesday 02/13/19

Series: Thru the Bible

Message – God Commissions the Second Generation – Numbers 28-30

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God Commissions the Second Generation

Numbers 28

Last week in the account of the second census in chapter 26, God said,

Num. 26:63-65, NKJV “(63) These are those who were numbered by Moses and Eleazar the priest, who numbered the children of Israel in the plains of Moab by the Jordan, across from Jericho. (64) But among these there was not a man of those who were numbered by Moses and Aaron the priest when they numbered the children of Israel in the Wilderness of Sinai. (65) For the LORD had said of them, “They shall surely die in the wilderness.” So there was not left a man of them, except Caleb the son of Jephunneh and Joshua the son of Nun.”

So all we are going to read now, is God dealing with the offspring of those original Jews who entered the wilderness from 19 and under as well as those born during the wanderings.

THIS is why God is repeating what He told Israel earlier in the book. For while MANY of this second generation have witnessed these offerings for years, God has never directly commissioned THEM with the responsibility to maintain what He commanded of their parents.

ALSO…Burnt Offerings are brought up throughout chapters 28 & 29 and I know we lose some of what we’ve been taught so let me refresh your memory of the significance of the Burnt Offering.

The one offering the Burnt Sacrifice, as in all the offerings – presented the animal at the door of the tabernacle for approval, they then pressed their hands upon the creature’s head. In this case – it was not being offered for known sin specifically and so no confession of sin is spoken and transferred upon the animal.

Now even though this was not directly associated with specific sins, in certain places it is implied that it does have a “general” cleansing effect of the whole person in that in the offering they become acceptable before God by the symbol of devoting the whole of themselves TO God in this offering which is why ALL of it was consumed.

It was a offering of complete dedication and consecration to God of the whole person – the entire being and life! The entire animal had to be completely consumed in the flames.

This is seen in a negative way in places like Jeremiah and Amos when God would not accept their Burnt Offerings because they were offered in pretense and not sincerity…[See Amos 5:18-27; Jer. 6:8-21 & Isa. 66:1-4]

“Thus says the LORD: “Heaven is My throne, And earth is My footstool. Where is the house that you will build Me? And where is the place of My rest? For all those things My hand has made, And all those things exist,” Says the LORD. “But on this one will I look: On him who is poor and of a contrite spirit, And who trembles at My word. “He who kills a bull is as if he slays a man; He who sacrifices a lamb, as if he breaks a dog’s neck; He who offers a grain offering, as if he offers swine’s blood; He who burns incense, as if he blesses an idol. Just as they have chosen their own ways, And their soul delights in their abominations, So will I choose their delusions, And bring their fears on them; Because, when I called, no one answered, When I spoke they did not hear; But they did evil before My eyes, And chose that in which I do not delight.” ~ Isa. 66:1-4

On a more positive note this also agrees with David’s observation recorded in Ps. 51:16-19,

“For You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it; You do not delight in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, A broken and a contrite heart– These, O God, You will not despise. Do good in Your good pleasure to Zion; Build the walls of Jerusalem. Then You shall be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, With burnt offering and whole burnt offering; Then they shall offer bulls on Your altar.” ~ Ps. 51:16-19

Offerings of Times & Seasons

Daily Offerings

Num. 28:1-8, NKJV “(1) The LORD spoke to Moses, (2) “Command the Israelites and say to them: Be sure to present to Me at its appointed time My offering and My food as My fire offering, a pleasing aroma to Me. (3) And say to them: This is the fire offering you are to present to the LORD: “Each day present two unblemished year-old male lambs as a regular burnt offering. (4) Offer one lamb in the morning and the other lamb at twilight, (5) along with two quarts of fine flour for a grain offering mixed with a quart of beaten olive oil. (6) It is a regular burnt offering established at Mount Sinai for a pleasing aroma, a fire offering to the LORD. (7) The drink offering is to be a quart with each lamb. Pour out the offering of beer to the LORD in the sanctuary area. (8) Offer the second lamb at twilight, along with the same kind of grain offering and drink offering as in the morning. It is a fire offering, a pleasing aroma to the LORD.”

So…what did burnt offerings represent again? The offering of our whole selves to God.

What do the offering times say to us? Morning and Evening – all day.

I like was Guzik says about this…

  • We should be like the Psalmist and seek the LORD in the morning: “My voice You shall hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning I will direct it to You, and I will look up.” ~ Ps. 5:3 & “But to You I have cried out, O LORD, and in the morning my prayer comes before You.” ~ Ps. 88:13.
  • We should be like the Psalmist and seek the LORD in the evening: “When I remember You on my bed, I meditate on You in the night watches.” ~ Ps. 63:6. & “Let my prayer be set before You as incense, the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.” ~ Ps. 141:2.
  • We should be like the Psalmist and seek the LORD all the time: “Evening and morning and at noon I will pray, and cry aloud, and He shall hear my voice.”  ~ Ps. 55:17.

If you remember, back in chapter 15 God has told Israel that when they entered the land all of their burnt offerings, peace offerings, freewill or appointed feast offerings had to be accompanied with a grain and a drink offering – things which up until that time would remain voluntary.

There was a reason for that – who remembers?

Well grain offerings were entirely voluntarily just like the Peace and Burnt offerings–  except upon special circumstances like at the daily sacrifice or at the consecration of priests into service or at the waving of the Sheaf….etc.

The wording used back in Leviticus, ***SEE:Grain Offerings*** was “when anyone” or “when a man” brings an offering – these words are better translated as “when a soul” offers an offering. The reason is because of it’s freewill nature – it was an offering which one gave voluntarily with all their heart and soul and were therefore in some regard seen as offering their soul before God.

Like the burnt offering, the Grain Offering represented the whole of the person offering it.

Bread sometimes is associated with the heart and the whole person.

    • Jesus was called the bread of life
    • God is said to have made bread to strengthen man’s heart…
  • You may remember that the showbread was called the bread of faces or the bread of the presence.

ONCE THE SECOND GENERATION ENTERED THE LAND they were to offer Grain Offering WITH their other offerings. Also, the wording changed. Instead of “when a soul offers”, God now says concerning the second generation, “He that offers his offering” – which literally means, “When anyone comes near”.

This has TREMENDOUS significance!

Who can tell me why?

The first generation began their journey by telling God to NOT come near. So now, with the second generation –  emphasis seems to be placed on drawing near, which MIGHT be just the natural flow of the sentence or might be pointing to a new generation with the potential of approaching God with better hearts than their parents did.

These were also to be offered with wine as a drink offering which was definitely new. Up until now Drink Offerings were only mentioned in reference to Israel at the inauguration of Priests and concerning the future Feast of Firstfruits.

So it appears God is expecting different actions springing from different hearts in this second generation. At least, He is setting them up for success in that regard.

How do I know that? Because the feasts and festivals were first of all a teaching tool and secondly a rehearsal (convocation).

FOR MORE ON THIS SEE Authority & Rebellion Numbers 15-16 on December 19th, 2018 on the website.

Sabbath Offerings

Num. 28:9-10, HCSB “(9) On the Sabbath day present two unblemished year-old male lambs, four quarts of fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering, and its drink offering. (10) It is the burnt offering for every Sabbath, in addition to the regular burnt offering and its drink offering.”

The Sabbath has ALWAYS represented entering into God’s rest, which has implications of trust & surrender replacing human striving and pride.

Monthly Offerings

Num. 28:11-15, HCSB “(11) At the beginning of each of your months present a burnt offering to the LORD: two young bulls, one ram, seven male lambs a year old–all unblemished– (12) with six quarts of fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering for each bull, four quarts of fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering for the ram, (13) and two quarts of fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering for each lamb. It is a burnt offering, a pleasing aroma, a fire offering to the LORD. (14) Their drink offerings are to be two quarts of wine with each bull, one and a third quarts with the ram, and one quart with each male lamb. This is the monthly burnt offering for all the months of the year. (15) And one male goat is to be offered as a sin offering to the LORD, in addition to the regular burnt offering with its drink offering.”

Remember that Bulls represented power and authority.

Remember the prophecy of David concerning the words of Christ on the cross “Many bulls have surrounded Me; strong bulls of Bashan have encircled Me, they have gapped at Me with their mouths, like a raging and roaring lion.” – Ps. 22:12,13

Rams for a Burnt Offering … Rams seem to represent protection and sacrifice. In fact the constellation Aries has that Latin name because it means Altar – which points to Christ. I believe we covered that back when I taught on the ‘Gospel in the Stars’ several years ago.

So when used in a monthly Burnt Offering which represents 100% dedication I personally infer that it is a statement of and request for God’s protection as they place the whole of their lives and heart dedication into Him as their God. It is a type of declaration of a commitment to the Fear of the Lord. In multiple places the Bible speaks of the protection and safety afforded the one who Fears the Lord. Here are but a few…

    • Psa. 34:7, “The angel of the LORD encamps all around those who fear Him, And delivers them.”
    • Prov. 10:27, “The fear of the LORD prolongs days, But the years of the wicked will be shortened.”
    • Prov. 14:26, “In the fear of the LORD there is strong confidence, And His children will have a place of refuge.”
    • Prov. 19:23, “The fear of the LORD leads to life, And he who has it will abide in satisfaction; He will not be visited with evil.”
  • Prov. 29:25, “The fear of man brings a snare, But whoever trusts in the LORD shall be safe.”

Passover Offerings

Num. 28:16-25, HCSB “(16) The Passover to the LORD comes in the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month. (17) On the fifteenth day of this month there will be a festival; unleavened bread is to be eaten for seven days. (18) On the first day there is to be a sacred assembly; you are not to do any daily work. (19) Present a fire offering, a burnt offering to the LORD: two young bulls, one ram, and seven male lambs a year old. Your animals are to be unblemished. (20) The grain offering with them is to be of fine flour mixed with oil; offer six quarts with each bull and four quarts with the ram. (21) Offer two quarts with each of the seven lambs (22) and one male goat for a sin offering to make atonement for yourselves. (23) Offer these with the morning burnt offering that is part of the regular burnt offering. (24) You are to offer the same food each day for seven days as a fire offering, a pleasing aroma to the LORD. It is to be offered with its drink offering and the regular burnt offering. (25) On the seventh day you are to hold a sacred assembly; you are not to do any daily work.”

Offerings for the Feast of Weeks

Num. 28:26-31, HCSB “(26) On the day of firstfruits, you are to hold a sacred assembly when you present an offering of new grain to the LORD at your Festival of Weeks; you are not to do any daily work. (27) Present a burnt offering for a pleasing aroma to the LORD: two young bulls, one ram, and seven male lambs a year old, (28) with their grain offering of fine flour mixed with oil, six quarts with each bull, four quarts with the ram, (29) and two quarts with each of the seven lambs (30) and one male goat to make atonement for yourselves. (31) Offer them with their drink offerings in addition to the regular burnt offering and its grain offering. Your animals are to be unblemished.”

Here the feast of first fruits is brought up in relation to the Feast of Weeks. Why is that significant? Because, this feast was ONLY to be observed once the second generation ENTERED the promised land – Lev. 23:9-10.

“(9) The LORD spoke to Moses:

(10) “Speak to the Israelites and tell them: When you enter the land I am giving you and reap its harvest, you are to bring the first sheaf of your harvest to the priest.”

Firstfruits was the first ripened gathering of the Barley harvest which is a warmer climate harvest.

For this Feast of Weeks, they were to count 50 days from the Feast of Firstfruits at the end of the wheat harvest and then celebrate the bringing in of the new grain offering for the Lord. We have the advantage of knowing part of what this was “rehearsing” due to the day of Pentecost to which this feast corresponds. Jesus told His disciples to wait in Jerusalem for POWER from on High. You remember what Peter said on that day, “This is that which the prophet Joel said…” which was recorded in Joel 2:18-32.

This Feast represented the initial “harvest of souls” – those from among the Jews as well as the pouring out of the Holy Spirit upon all flesh (by which was meant all Jews – at the time) on the day of Pentecost.

  • Mark 9:1, “Then He said to them, “I assure you: There are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God come in power.”
  • 1Thess. 1:5, “For our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power, in the Holy Spirit, and with much assurance. You know what kind of men we were among you for your benefit,”
  • 1Cor. 4:20, “For the kingdom of God is not in talk but in power.”

If you need a review of these things (which is VERY important to New Covenant life) go back and listen and/or read the message entitled, “Israel’s Festivals were Rehearsals – Leviticus 23” on Sept. 5th, 2018.

Numbers 29

Offerings for the Feast of Trumpets (Rosh Hashanah)

Num. 29:1-6, HCSB “You are to hold a sacred assembly in the seventh month, on the first day of the month, and you are not to do any daily work. This will be a day of jubilation for you. (2) Offer a burnt offering as a pleasing aroma to the LORD: one young bull, one ram, seven male lambs a year old–all unblemished– (3) with their grain offering of fine flour mixed with oil, six quarts with the bull, four quarts with the ram, (4) and two quarts with each of the seven male lambs. (5) Also offer one male goat as a sin offering to make atonement for yourselves. (6) These are in addition to the monthly and regular burnt offerings with their grain offerings and drink offerings. They are a pleasing aroma, a fire offering to the LORD.”

This was a day of commemoration – a day of remembrance but of what it is hard to say. It was observed in the month of Tishri (the 1st day of the 7th month). It may have served to prepare the people for the coming solemn Feast of Booths as well.

Trumpets served a purpose in Israel. Specific blasts with the trumpet were given:

  • as warnings
  • as calls to war
  • o rally the people
  • and for victory and good news.

In rabbinical literature, the most significant is the use of the Shofar, which is the ram’s horn, instead of the usual silver Temple trumpets.

In Jewish thought, the shofar is associated with Abraham’s offering of Isaac on Mount Moriah, (Genesis 22) in that the ram which took Isaac’s place was caught by the horn in the thicket. Rabbinical tradition associates the left horn of the ram as the “first trump” and the right horn as the “last trump”.

A noteworthy aspect of this celebration is the final & climactic blast of the Shofar. This is not the usual series of short bursts, signaling alarm or bad news. Rather, it is a long blast, signaling victory or good news. It is this last blast that Paul metaphorically references as the Last Trump in 1 Cor. 15:50-58, when he describes what we often refer to as the “The Rapture” of the Church.

“(50) Brothers, I tell you this: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, and corruption cannot inherit incorruption. (51) Listen! I am telling you a mystery: We will not all fall asleep, but we will all be changed, (52) in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we will be changed. (53) Because this corruptible must be clothed with incorruptibility, and this mortal must be clothed with immortality. (54) Now when this corruptible is clothed with incorruptibility, and this mortal is clothed with immortality, then the saying that is written will take place: Death has been swallowed up in victory. (55) O Death, where is your victory? O Death, where is your sting? (56) Now the sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. (57) But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ! (58) Therefore, my dear brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the Lord’s work, knowing that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.”

So this feast is a “rehearsal” of the call of God’s people home at the end of the age of the Gentiles (which he also refers to in Romans 11).

Notice that following this feast is the Day of Atonement, which if we are right about the significance of the Feast of Trumpets, seems precariously placed as following the rapture of the church.

After this Feast of Trumpets are seven days of “affliction” in anticipation of Yom Kippur (The Day of Atonement) on the 10th of Tishri and 5 days following that on the 15th of Tishri begins Saccoth – the Feast of Tabernacles which if all taken together make a lot of sense!

Offerings for the Day of Atonement

Num. 29:7-11, HCSB “(7) You are to hold a sacred assembly on the tenth day of this seventh month and practice self-denial; you must not do any work. (8) Present a burnt offering to the LORD, a pleasing aroma: one young bull, one ram, and seven male lambs a year old. All your animals are to be unblemished. (9) Their grain offering is to be of fine flour mixed with oil, six quarts with the bull, four quarts with the ram, (10) and two quarts with each of the seven lambs. (11) Offer one male goat for a sin offering. The regular burnt offering with its grain offering and drink offerings are in addition to the sin offering of atonement.”

As Christians we think we know quite a lot about the significance of this day as representing the sacrifice of Christ for our sins…and that certainly is a great part of the meaning, but it almost certainly has a three-part meaning.

  • First for the days of the Old Covenant during which there was an annual reminder of sins.
  • Secondly of our day and covenant during which the guilt and stain of sins are removed from our nature and our account through the death and resurrection of Christ Jesus from the dead.
  • Thirdly, as a possibly representing the time following the rapture of the church, beginning with the 144,000 Jews who repent (change their minds) about their Messiah and turn to Him with all their hearts.

If this is the case, the the final feast also has a three-part reference.

Offerings for the Feast of Booths

Num. 29:12-40, HCSB “(12) You are to hold a sacred assembly on the fifteenth day of the seventh month; you must not do any daily work. You are to celebrate a seven-day festival for the LORD. (13) Present a burnt offering, a fire offering as a pleasing aroma to the LORD: 13 young bulls, two rams, and 14 male lambs a year old. They are to be unblemished. (14) Their grain offering is to be of fine flour mixed with oil, six quarts with each of the 13 bulls, four quarts with each of the two rams, (15) and two quarts with each of the 14 lambs. (16) Also offer one male goat as a sin offering. These are in addition to the regular burnt offering with its grain and drink offerings. (17) “On the second day present 12 young bulls, two rams, and 14 male lambs a year old–all unblemished– (18) with their grain and drink offerings for the bulls, rams, and lambs, in proportion to their number. (19) Also offer one male goat as a sin offering. These are in addition to the regular burnt offering with its grain and drink offerings. (20) “On the third day present 11 bulls, two rams, 14 male lambs a year old–all unblemished– (21) with their grain and drink offerings for the bulls, rams, and lambs, in proportion to their number. (22) Also offer one male goat as a sin offering. These are in addition to the regular burnt offering with its grain and drink offerings. (23) “On the fourth day present 10 bulls, two rams, 14 male lambs a year old–all unblemished– (24) with their grain and drink offerings for the bulls, rams, and lambs, in proportion to their number. (25) Also offer one male goat as a sin offering. These are in addition to the regular burnt offering with its grain and drink offerings. (26) “On the fifth day present nine bulls, two rams, 14 male lambs a year old–all unblemished– (27) with their grain and drink offerings for the bulls, rams, and lambs, in proportion to their number. (28) Also offer one male goat as a sin offering. These are in addition to the regular burnt offering with its grain and drink offerings. (29) “On the sixth day present eight bulls, two rams, 14 male lambs a year old–all unblemished– (30) with their grain and drink offerings for the bulls, rams, and lambs, in proportion to their number. (31) Also offer one male goat as a sin offering. These are in addition to the regular burnt offering with its grain and drink offerings. (32) “On the seventh day present seven bulls, two rams, and 14 male lambs a year old–all unblemished– (33) with their grain and drink offerings for the bulls, rams, and lambs, in proportion to their number. (34) Also offer one male goat as a sin offering. These are in addition to the regular burnt offering with its grain and drink offerings. (35) “On the eighth day you are to hold a solemn assembly; you are not to do any daily work. (36) Present a burnt offering, a fire offering as a pleasing aroma to the LORD: one bull, one ram, seven male lambs a year old–all unblemished– (37) with their grain and drink offerings for the bulls, rams, and lambs, in proportion to their number. (38) Also offer one male goat as a sin offering. These are in addition to the regular burnt offering with its grain and drink offerings. (39) “You must offer these to the LORD at your appointed times in addition to your vow and freewill offerings, whether burnt, grain, drink, or fellowship offerings.” (40) So Moses told the Israelites everything the LORD had commanded him.”

  • The First and stated significance of this Feast is that it represented the time when Israel was delivered from bondage to Egypt and came to serve and worship the Lord in the wilderness dwelling in tents (also that God came and tabernacled among them in the midst of Israel in the Holiest of Holies).
  • Secondly, this was pointing to the birth of Jesus Who as Emmanuel became “God with Us” – Who “tabernacled among us” as ONE of us.
  • Thirdly, it is possible that this may represent BOTH the Millennial reign of Christ – tabernacling in Israel and the FOLLOWING end of the ages, when God makes His tabernacle with men Who care called His Own.

Rev. 21:1-7, NKJV “(1) Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. (2) Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. (3) And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. (4) And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” (5) Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And He said to me, “Write, for these words are true and faithful.” (6) And He said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts. (7) He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son.”

Numbers 30

Men and Vows

Num. 30:1-2, HCSB “(1) Moses told the leaders of the Israelite tribes, “This is what the LORD has commanded: (2) When a man makes a vow to the LORD or swears an oath to put himself under an obligation, he must not break his word; he must do whatever he has promised.”

Women and Vows

Num. 30:3-16, HCSB “(3) When a woman in her father’s house during her youth makes a vow to the LORD or puts herself under an obligation, (4) and her father hears about her vow or the obligation she put herself under, and he says nothing to her, all her vows and every obligation she put herself under are binding. (5) But if her father prohibits her on the day he hears about it, none of her vows and none of the obligations she put herself under are binding. The LORD will absolve her because her father has prohibited her. (6) “If a woman marries while her vows or the rash commitment she herself made are binding, (7) and her husband hears about it and says nothing to her when he finds out, her vows are binding, and the obligations she put herself under are binding. (8) But if her husband prohibits her when he hears about it, he will cancel her vow that is binding or the rash commitment she herself made, and the LORD will forgive her. (9) “Any vow a widow or divorcée put herself under is binding on her. (10) “If a woman in her husband’s house has made a vow or put herself under an obligation with an oath, (11) and her husband hears about it, says nothing to her, and does not prohibit her, all her vows are binding, and every obligation she put herself under is binding. (12) But if her husband cancels them on the day he hears about it, nothing that came from her lips, whether her vows or her obligation, is binding. Her husband has canceled them, and the LORD will absolve her. (13) Her husband may confirm or cancel any vow or any sworn obligation to deny herself. (14) If her husband says nothing at all to her from day to day, he confirms all her vows and obligations, which are binding. He has confirmed them because he said nothing to her when he heard about them. (15) But if he cancels them after he hears about them, he will be responsible for her commitment.” (16) These are the statutes that the LORD commanded Moses concerning the relationship between a man and his wife, or between a father and his daughter in his house during her youth.”

We’ve already spent sufficient time discussing this topic, but again the MAIN things these laws are establishing and teaching largely found and interpreted for us IN AND UNDER the New Covenant in 1 Cor. 11

  • Man was created FIRST as the one who in both his person and gender represents the Father God.
  • The Man is the glory of God.
  • The Man is the one charge with authority both over and concerning the woman.
  • The Man was the one commissioned with the charge to take dominion and work the garden.
  • The woman was created FOR the man.
  • The woman is the glory of man.
  • She comes alongside him and aids him in his work.
  • The woman is best represented in the Godhead by the Holy Spirit – they even both share the same appellation of “helper”.
  • As such the man has authority and RESPONSIBILITY concerning the woman.

That the very nature of Godhead and the interplay between its members is embedded in what it means to be male and female. It is NO WONDER then now, at the end of the age in a time which the New Testament describes as “hating authority” – that people are working OVERTIME to not only blur but outright DESTROY all gender lines. They are the created – raging against their Creator by exclaiming – “You will not define me – I will define myself”  

So it is all the more imperative that the church today RUN in the opposite direction and embrace God’s order…

1Cor. 11:2-16, HCSB “(1) Be imitators of me, as I also am of Christ. (2) Now I praise you because you remember me in all things and keep the traditions just as I delivered them to you. (3) But I want you to know that Christ is the head of every man, and the man is the head of the woman, and God is the head of Christ. (4) Every man who prays or prophesies with something on his head dishonors his head. (5) But every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head, since that is one and the same as having her head shaved. (6) So if a woman’s head is not covered, her hair should be cut off. But if it is disgraceful for a woman to have her hair cut off or her head shaved, she should be covered. (7) A man, in fact, should not cover his head, because he is God’s image and glory, but woman is man’s glory. (8) For man did not come from woman, but woman came from man; (9) and man was not created for woman, but woman for man. (10) This is why a woman should have a symbol of authority on her head: because of the angels. (11) However, in the Lord, woman is not independent of man, and man is not independent of woman. (12) For just as woman came from man, so man comes through woman, and all things come from God. (13) Judge for yourselves: Is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered? (14) Does not even nature itself teach you that if a man has long hair it is a disgrace to him, (15) but that if a woman has long hair, it is her glory? For her hair is given to her as a covering. (16) But if anyone wants to argue about this, we have no other custom, nor do the churches of God.”

…Blessings! 

 

I hope this message will bless you richly…not because I taught it, but because it reveals Christ. He alone is our blessing and if in any way – whether big or small, 100% accurate or even just partially so – I have revealed our great God and Savior to you in a relationally knowable way, then this was time well spent on both our parts.

We at Living Grace Fellowship encourage you to place your trust in the Jesus Christ, deliberately choosing Him and bowing the knee to Him as your Master and Lord, so as to come to realize Him as your Savior.

You have a special place in God’s family & kingdom. The fact that you exist, that you are His creation, says you were in His heart, you are His delight! If you do not know Him, please reach out to us. Give us a call at the number located on every page of this website or use our ‘Contact Us‘ page. We would be deeply honored, if you gave us the privilege of introducing you to the Lord. Neither money nor attendance at our church will EVER be mentioned.

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Blessings!

Pastor Mark

View posts by Pastor Mark

Hi my name is Mark and though I am opposed to titles, I am currently the only Pastor (shepherd/elder) serving our assembly right now.

I have been Pastoring in one capacity or another for nearly 30 years now, though never quite like I am today.

Early in 2009 the Lord revealed to me that the way we had structured our assembly (church) was not scriptural in that it was out of sync with what Paul modeled for us in the New Testament. In truth, I (like many pastors I am sure) never even gave this fundamental issue of church structure the first thought. I had always assumed that church structure was largely the same everywhere and had been so from the beginning. While I knew Paul had some very stringent things to say about the local assembly of believers, the point of our gatherings together and who may or may not lead, I never even considered studying these issues but assumed we were all pretty much doing it right...safety in numbers right?! Boy, I couldn't have been more wrong!

So needless to say, my discovery that we had been doing it wrong for nearly two decades was a bit of a shock to me! Now, this "revelation" did not come about all at once but over the course of a few weeks. We were a traditional single pastor led congregation. It was a top-bottom model of ministry which is in part biblical, but not in the form of a monarchy.

The needed change did not come into focus until following 9 very intense months of study and discussions with those who were leaders in our church at the time.

We now understand and believe that the Bible teaches co-leadership with equal authority in each local assembly. Having multiple shepherds with God's heart and equal authority protects both Shepherds and sheep. Equal accountability keeps authority and doctrine in check. Multiple shepherds also provide teaching with various styles and giftings with leadership skills which are both different and complementary.

For a while we had two co-pastors (elders) (myself and one other man) who led the church with equal authority, but different giftings. We both taught in our own ways and styles, and our leadership skills were quite different, but complimentary. We were in complete submission to each other and worked side-by-side in the labor of shepherding the flock.

Our other Pastor has since moved on to other ministry which has left us with just myself. While we currently only have one Pastor/Elder, it is our desire that God, in His faithfulness and timing, may bring us more as we grow in maturity and even in numbers.

As to my home, I have been married since 1995 to my wonderful wife Terissa Woodson who is my closest friend and most trusted ally.

As far as my education goes, I grew up in a Christian home, but questioned everything I was ever taught.

I graduated from Bible college in 1990 and continued to question everything I was ever taught (I do not mention my college in order to avoid being labeled).

Perhaps my greatest preparation for ministry has been life and ministry itself. To quote an author I have come to enjoy namely Fredrick Buechner in his writing entitled, Now and Then, "If God speaks to us at all other than through such official channels as the Bible and the church, then I think that He speaks to us largely through what happens to us...if we keep our hearts open as well as our ears, if we listen with patience and hope, if we remember at all deeply and honestly, then I think we come to recognize beyond all doubt, that, however faintly we may hear Him, He is indeed speaking to us, and that, however little we may understand of it, His word to each of us is both recoverable and precious beyond telling." ~ Fredrick Buechner

Well that is about all there is of interest to tell you about me.

I hope our ministry here is a blessing to you and your family. I also hope that it is only a supplement to a local church where you are committed to other believers in a community of grace.

~God Bless!