I am reading through the Bible in a Year. I am not disciplined enough to just get a reading plan and do it. I bought a book that has reading each day. This particular Bible in a Year is in chronological order. I'm enjoying it daily....usually. Some days are rather boring - like when the census results are documented. Several days ago, I read a passage, or rather a phrase that caught my attention with a question....huh? The phrase is from Numbers 18:19. In my NIV version the phrase is "an everlasting covenant of salt". A covenant of salt. That is really a strange thing to use to bind an agreement. So, I did some investigation (after I finished my reading so I wouldn't get distracted - see previous post titled "Devil's in the details").
In Biblical times, salt was used for any number of things from preservation, flavoring for food, and cleansing. Salt came to be associated with purity, health, durability, faithfulness, dependability. That is quite the opposite of our notions of salt today. We think salt is bad for us; we should stay away from the salt shaker.
If we think about salt from Biblical point, it will help us understand "salt of the earth", "covenant of salt". Salt doesn't dissolve. If we mix it with water then let the water evaporate, the salt remains. So a covenant of salt was said to be indissoluble. Hams cured with salt don't have to be refrigerated until after they are sliced because the salt preserves them. Leviticus 2:13 (NIV) notes instructions to the Israelites to "add salt to all your offerings" to make them everlasting and indissoluable, I suppose. We have salt shakers on the stove and kitchen tables to add additional flavoring to our food. Salt is abundant (as in God is everywhere?) I read in one place that there are peoples that still use salt as part of an agreement or covenant.
Salt. A word used in God's Word (KJV has the word in it more than 30 times.) Has to be significant, right? Salt, or covenant of salt. Everlasting, durable, reliable, tasty, found everywhere, used daily, used to preserve, used to purify, used to make a covenant permanent and unbreakable. Just another example of God using everyday things to remind us that He is with us and will use whatever will get our attention.
Dear God, Your Word is amazing in the way it still meets the needs that we have to get to know You. Thank you for Your Word,Your Presence and Your Creation. Amen.
In Biblical times, salt was used for any number of things from preservation, flavoring for food, and cleansing. Salt came to be associated with purity, health, durability, faithfulness, dependability. That is quite the opposite of our notions of salt today. We think salt is bad for us; we should stay away from the salt shaker.
If we think about salt from Biblical point, it will help us understand "salt of the earth", "covenant of salt". Salt doesn't dissolve. If we mix it with water then let the water evaporate, the salt remains. So a covenant of salt was said to be indissoluble. Hams cured with salt don't have to be refrigerated until after they are sliced because the salt preserves them. Leviticus 2:13 (NIV) notes instructions to the Israelites to "add salt to all your offerings" to make them everlasting and indissoluable, I suppose. We have salt shakers on the stove and kitchen tables to add additional flavoring to our food. Salt is abundant (as in God is everywhere?) I read in one place that there are peoples that still use salt as part of an agreement or covenant.
Salt. A word used in God's Word (KJV has the word in it more than 30 times.) Has to be significant, right? Salt, or covenant of salt. Everlasting, durable, reliable, tasty, found everywhere, used daily, used to preserve, used to purify, used to make a covenant permanent and unbreakable. Just another example of God using everyday things to remind us that He is with us and will use whatever will get our attention.
Dear God, Your Word is amazing in the way it still meets the needs that we have to get to know You. Thank you for Your Word,Your Presence and Your Creation. Amen.
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