Author Archives: Steven Wales

Worship During Wartime: Moses Brings a Boring Message to a Distracted Audience. Numbers 28.

Image: Could you read on a crowded train? President Lincoln was one of many lawyer-politicians. But Lincoln did not become a lawyer because he had his eye on a career in politics. Instead, Lincoln actually hung out a shingle, becoming a small business owner, a day-in, day-out lawyer for some twenty-five years, handling both civilContinue reading “Worship During Wartime: Moses Brings a Boring Message to a Distracted Audience. Numbers 28.”

Jesus and the Red Heifer: He is the Only Sacrifice that Can Cleanse Us from Death. Numbers 19.

Under Old Testament law many things could render you ceremonially unclean, including childbirth, skin diseases like leprosy, certain bodily discharges, and contact with unclean animals. To be unclean was to be unfit to participate in temple worship. Various ritual washings were required to restore a state of cleanliness. Being ceremonially unclean was not necessarily sinfulContinue reading “Jesus and the Red Heifer: He is the Only Sacrifice that Can Cleanse Us from Death. Numbers 19.”

God Uses LIFE to Resolve Conflicts Among His People: You Will Know Them By Their Fruits. Numbers 17.

Image: Almond blossoms. When men enter their most bitter conflicts, how do they resolve them? When men fight over land, religion, power, and money, what tool do they use to determine the winner? DEATH. We’re talking about war, of course. Yes, we try to negotiate. We try to work out our differences. The worst ofContinue reading “God Uses LIFE to Resolve Conflicts Among His People: You Will Know Them By Their Fruits. Numbers 17.”

What is the Purpose of the Sabbath Day? Numbers 15.

“Hey, Jim! Where have you been?” I asked my neighbor. He was entering his apartment as I was leaving mine. “Oh, you know. Working.” “But I haven’t seen you in weeks!” “Well, I’ve been working a lot.” “Every day? I mean, you’re not even around on the weekends?” “Oh, yeah. I work every day.” “Seriously?Continue reading “What is the Purpose of the Sabbath Day? Numbers 15.”

Change is Hard: Get Organized and Keep the Faith! Numbers 13.

My wife and I are experiencing the most unexpected coincidence. This year both our places of employment have been acquired by larger institutions. We are each reading a raft of emails about all the changes. The meetings are constant. Our workplaces are moving. I am moving out of my office this week; she will moveContinue reading “Change is Hard: Get Organized and Keep the Faith! Numbers 13.”

Ministers: You Are Not Your Own. Numbers 8.

You probably know that God created the tithe in the Old Testament. But did you know God expects a tithe not only of Israel’s crops, but of the nation’s people? God explains that the first born of every womb belongs to Him. But rather than take the first-born of every family, God took everyone bornContinue reading “Ministers: You Are Not Your Own. Numbers 8.”

The Bible is Filled with Radical Ideas. Numbers 5.

The Bible contains some radical ideas that are staggering: Love your enemies. Turn the other cheek. Pray for those who abuse you. Be a leader by being a servant. Humility is a virtue. Wash your hands and wash your food. Don’t eat everything: eat “clean” animals. Bury human waste outside the camp. Love your neighborsContinue reading “The Bible is Filled with Radical Ideas. Numbers 5.”

Streaming Traffic or Bottlenecked Logjam: Finding Miracles in Large Datasets. Numbers 2.

Image: Logjam on the St. Croix River, Minnesota. As timber companies harvested America’s forests in the late 19th century, one of the easiest ways to get logs to the sawmills was to set them afloat in local rivers. But these tree-sized logs would snag on things and on each other, creating logjams. In fact, logjamsContinue reading “Streaming Traffic or Bottlenecked Logjam: Finding Miracles in Large Datasets. Numbers 2.”

How to Dedicate Your House to God. Leviticus 27.

I understand the idea of dedicating a new home to God. People do it in many ways. Some pray over the lot before new construction. Others pray over the rooms. Some put a touch of olive oil on each of the doors. Some will spend time talking about Jesus throughout the house, speaking His nameContinue reading “How to Dedicate Your House to God. Leviticus 27.”