While I get email from readers to clarify points like "How can you date the month, day, and year of the parting of the Red Sea?" or "Where does it gives the age of Moses at the time he was called by God?", an unusual email request arrived today involving a Halloween costume and the Bible.

A reader wrote:

My daughter's school is doing a Halloween special tomorrow. They are allowing each child to dress up like a character from a book. At first I was not going to send her to school, because I really don't care what they call it, I know that is is just a reason to allow all the children to celebrate Halloween in the traditional way.

I do not celebrate Halloween. However I believe this is one of the very few times she will be allowed to speak about anything pertaining to the Bible in school. So, I have decided to let her dress as someone out of the Bible and have explained to her in detail about the entire situation. I have come to a snag. She wishes to dress as Zipporah, Moses' wife and I have no idea what to dress her in. If you can help me in any way please let me know. Thanks so much for at least taking the time to read this.

My email reply offered this advice:

Thank you for writing. While your request is unusual, and on short notice, clothing at that time period was often robes and though you find the word "shoes" in the Bible it really means sandals. From your email address I suspect you are in Florida, and the weather report is mild so being there would be different than northern states.

In the wilderness during the time of Moses clothing included fringes and a blue ribbon by direction from God given in Numbers 15:38 (see below), so an inexpensive princess or other robe-like costume in white could have blue ribbon glued to the bottom hem and perhaps at the end of each sleeve, and then sandals.

Numbers 15:38 Speak unto the children of Israel, and bid them that they make them fringes in the borders of their garments throughout their generations, and that they put upon the fringe of the borders a ribbon of blue. (KJV)

The word "borders" in Hebrew means edge or extremity. Good luck with the last minute costume.

The comment "I do not celebrate Halloween" is an understandable concern for Christians. Peer pressure for children to feel connected to the mainstream often poses a dilemma for Christian parents. My personal belief is that parents who teach the difference between pagan holidays like Halloween, Christmas, and Easter and explain their real meaning do little harm allowing children to participate with costumes, gift giving, or candy eggs.

Commercialization of so-called "holidays" takes away the spirit of celebrating being a Christian and the birth, life, death, and salvation knowing Jesus Christ.

TAGS: Bible Numbers God Moses reader question study
                     

The next Bible study in of the book of Numbers was released earlier entitled Separation of Tribe of Levites. Each article presents my personal view and interpretation of Bible facts based on close study of God's Word. The latest article makes reference to rules and punishment quoted as follows:

In a previous study of Leviticus 10:2 we learn about Nadab and Abihu, sons of Aaron, who were struck dead with fire from God for violating rules for priests. Looking ahead in 1 Chronicles 13:9, the tribes are on the move and arriving at Chidon when another person is struck dead. Uzza, a driver of the cart carrying the tabernacle, notices the oxen stumble and reaches out holding on to the ark and immediately dies.

God makes the rules, and for modern mankind the importance of Bible study and knowing God's expectations is that learning from Scripture allows us to separate the traditions of man to know God's will.

In the course of following this personal spiritual journey, I have encountered others who write about true purpose as Christians and the dangers of accepting the traditions of mankind instead of God's Word. As I consider these opinions, I realize that my choice of non-denominational Christianity is shared by many many others.

Our first priority is a personal relationship with God which requires looking outside the traditional views of worship and institutional churches. While each co-exists comfortably and congregations do great work, true meaning still depends on knowing God on a personal level, and the Bible is His guide to knowing expectations as a Christian. More on home church (HC) compared to institutional church (IC) will be blog topics in the near future.

TAGS: article Bible Numbers God Moses Levites study

Labels: article, Bible, Christian, God, lessons, Numbers, study

                     

The next Bible lesson begins the study of the book of Numbers and was released earlier entitled Introduction to the Book of Numbers. This is the 4th book of the Pentateuch and merely two years have passed since the Exodus. The study topic is the census of 1490 B.C. and wilderness miracles.

This book commonly known as "Numbers" was entitled as such by translators but would have been more accurately translated from Hebrew as "in the wilderness". God speaks directly to Moses and names the heads of each tribe by name as the representatives responsible for the numbering, or census.

One of the Bible verses mentioned references the clothing and shoes worn by the Israelis during the 40 years of wandering in the wilderness. How they managed to clothe more than 1 million people in that time is answered in the lesson including the meaning of the Hebrew word translated to "shoes". The last line in the article is "Trust God and He will provide".

TAGS: article Bible Numbers God Moses census study

Labels: article, Bible, Numbers, study