Moses knew how to get the job done

What an example Moses is to us for getting a job done. In the Exodus experience he consulted God on every move. The company had been stationary in the wilderness of Sinai for almost a year, and now Moses had been given the Go signal. Numbers, Chapter 10 with its trumpets shows us the order of the movement of the people; they set out by designated stages.

There is a reference to Moses’ father-in-law here. Moses persuaded him to come with them rather than go back to his own country, Midian. Moses expected that he would be a valuable guide in the country they would be travelling through – he knew the wilderness.

Chapter 11 has the people complaining about the difficulties of this wilderness experience. We find reference to “the rabble.” It seems that there were non-Israelites amongst the crowd, hence, the rabble.

I like a titbit I found in the NRSV’s notes which, for me, brings out the feminine aspect to God. Moses was having a bit of a moan too. He said to God, “Why have you treated your servant so badly? Why have I not found favor in your sight, that you lay the burden of all this people on me? Did I conceive all this people? Did I give birth to them, that you should say to me, ‘Carry them in your bosom, as a nurse carries a sucking child’ (Num.11:11, 12). The note below tells us that Moses “has been designated Israel’s wet nurse.” Doesn’t this remind us of Mrs. Eddy’s wonderful poem O Gentle Presence? “Come to my bosom,” it invites us.

Yes. Moses was required to display the feminine qualities of God: the nurturing, the feeding, the guiding.

It is so interesting that the world is waking up to the need for feminine qualities in leaders. The Christian Science Monitor tells us of women leaders who are making this evident, for example, New Zealand’s Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern. The world loves her.

In a search for feminine qualities I came across the site “Inc.com” It quotes from Leigh Buchanan’s book Between Venus and Mars: 7 Traits of True Leaders:

Empathy Being sensitive to the thoughts and feelings of others

Vulnerability Owning up to one’s limitations and asking for help

Humility Seeking to serve others and share credit

Inclusiveness Soliciting and listening to many voices

Generosity Being liberal with time, contacts, advice and support

Balance Giving life, as well as work, its due

Patience Taking a long-term view

Website - https://www.inc.com/magazine/201306/leigh-buchanan/what-leaders-need-to-know.html

Joyce Voysey

Benedictory balm: a comment from a First Reader

Getting into the book of Numbers: What a slog this is!  All the rituals the Levites were commanded to do--no wonder some churches have rituals and special vestments. What does Christian Science have in place thereof? How to translate these things into thoughts? (Ed. Suggestions welcome.)

The ones I came across first were in chapter 4 – and they were only for the business of transporting the ark and all the accoutrements of the tent of meeting when Aaron and his sons were preparing for the census of “the Kohathites separate from the other Levites, by their clans and their ancestral houses” (Num. 4:2). The Kohathites did the carrying--verse 15.

It is interesting to note the tent of meeting was not the tabernacle*. My Bible Dictionary tells me that it was erected outside the camp, whereas the tabernacle was in the middle of the camp. It could be erected by one man. “It was a shrine for the receiving of oracles, and the divine presence did not reside permanently there but was manifested in the form of a pillar of cloud, whenever Moses entered the tent to inquire of God.” (Ed. *Some sources say that the tent of meeting was a provisional space for meeting until the tabernacle was built, and that later, the terms became synonymous.)

Chapter 5 provides for the isolation of those who were leprous, had a discharge or had contact with a corpse. The belief of contagion has been in force for a long time! Impurity wasn’t to be allowed in.

Finally, I found something I like: Numbers 6:24-26 –

The Lord bless you and 

keep you;

the Lord make his face to shine

upon you, and be gracious

to you:

the Lord lift up his countenance

upon you, and give you

peace.

What a balm after all those rules and regulations! On a personal note: I served a three year term as First Reader at a Brisbane church and I never did use that wonderful benediction. Not that I wasn’t aware of it – it just wasn’t at the back of the Bible where we find so many benedictions, I guess. 😞

Chapter 7. Dummelow’s One Volume Bible Commentary says of this chapter: "The twelve princes, each representing his tribe, presented gold and silver vessels for use in sacrifices, sacrificial animals, and wagons and oxen for the transport of the tabernacle. The dedication of these offerings occupied twelve days, and was a service of thanksgiving." It seems the twelve tribes were not poor.

Joyce Voysey

Shine your light and be part of a lecture event

Numbers 4:16 says that 'Aaron's son Eleazar* shall be responsible for the oil for the light...' (The Living Bible). These days we may no longer need to tend to the oil in order to keep our lights functioning, but we sure appreciate it when someone keeps their inner light shining for all to see. 

Mary Baker Eddy offers the following insight into the spiritual sense of oil: 

OIL. Consecration; charity; gentleness; prayer; heavenly inspiration.
(Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, p. 592:25)

Christian Science lectures offer a 'how to' on letting our light shine (see Matthew 5: 14-16). Join Alexandre Fischer, CS, next Tuesday May 19 at 7.30pm AEST. Click HERE for more information.

Thomas Leishman has a fascinating article about the possible role of Eleazar in the preparation of the Greek translation of the Jewish Bible, 'the Septuagint'. The background is that Greek was the lingua franca at this period (around 5-600 BC) and many Jews, having lost their ability to speak Hebrew through living in countries like Egypt, wanted a Bible in the language of their day. See The Origin of the Septuagint and its Translators by Thomas Leishman in the June 1936 issue of The Christian Science Journal. 

* Eleazar is often referred to as 'the priest' or 'chief priest'. Eleazar is the Hebrew rendering of the Greek name Lazarus. 

Julie Swannell