1 - 22 Laws Concerning Nazirites
Here are the rules for dedicating one's life to the Lord as a Nazirite. My notes: "Nazirite: from the Hebrew word nazir, meaing 'set apart as sacred, dedicated, vowed.' The nazirite vow could be either for a limited period or for life. Those bound by this vow had to abstain from all the products of the grapevine, from cutting or shaving their hair, and from contact with a corpse. They were regarded as men of God like the prophets." Examples of Nazirites: Samson (the hair! natch!) and John the Baptist. My notes also state that at the time of Christ it was common too take the nazirite vow for a limited time. (See Acts 18: 18 for Paul's vow)
22 - 27 The Priestly Blessing
This is how the Lord wishes the Isrealites to be blessed (Funny, I always thought this was the Irish Blessing. . . ):
Psalm 33The Lord bless you and keep you!
The Lord let his face shine upon you, and be gracious to you!
The Lord look upon you kindly and give you peace!
Praise of God's Power and Providence
1 - 5 Let's praise God through music! (This might be a good psalm to open our A.T. Bible Study).
6 - 7 God created the heavens just by breathing a word (See John 1:1 "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
8 - 22 God is in control: "The Lord foils the plans of nations, frustrates the designs of peoples" (10). God has a plan: "But the plan of the Lord stands forever, wise designs through all generations" (11). Bucking against that plan only leads to unhappiness: "Happy the nation whose God is the Lord, the people chosen as his very own" (12).
My notes: "The greatness of human beings consists in God's choosing them as a special people and their faithful response." "For in God our hearts rejoice; in your holy name we trust" (21).
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