Numbers 29-30

It took about 6 minutes to read these two chapters. The first chapter in this passage details the fall festivals of Israel, and the ritual sacrifices that God required. Chapter 30 probably runs against the grain of many modern, Western readers. There is a tendancy to throw out this portion of scripture as sexist and discriminating. But I believe we need to look at it through the pattern God is laying down. In the New Testement God reveals that the gender differences in humanity speak of the spiritual reality that he has created between Christ (the male groom) and the church (which is the bride of Christ). When we look at this law as a foreshadow of God plan for humanity I see less of a gender divide and more of a display of the power of Jesus' sacrifice for his bride.
Stuart