Numbers 17-20
Time travel.
Between the end of Numbers 19 and the beginning of Numbers 20 there seems to be a large leap in time. Early in their wilderness wanderings, God provided a great visual for the people, so that they might no longer complain about Moses and Aaron’s leadership. God caused Aaron’s staff, representing the tribe of Levi sprout and blossom and grow almonds, but those of the other eleven tribes did not. In Numbers 18 and 19, the newly reaffirmed tribe of Levi (which included the priests) is given more instruction for their ministry.
Numbers 20 picks up 40 years later. This is understood by comparing Numbers 20:22-29 with Numbers 33:38, which place the events of Numbers 20 near the death Aaron toward the end of their desert driftings.
Why is this important? Because God through Moses made water from the “rock” twice:
1. Early on after the Exodus (Exodus 17), Moses struck the “rock” at God’s command, and thirsty people drank, and
2. Later on near the time of Aaron’s passing (Numbers 20), Moses—near the end of his rope and his patience—struck the “rock” twice, when God had said to “speak” to it.
Both times, the miracle had been prompted by thirsty grumpy people needing water, and both times they named the place Meribah, which means “quarreling.” The saddest part of all this was that Moses sin disqualified him from leading the people into the Promised Land.
Time travel to the present.
Let this sad story be a constant reminder. Man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires (James 1:20). Losing one’s temper can lead to losing much more.
Until Monday,
Pastor Gary
Saturday, February 15, 2014
Friday, February 14, 2014
FEBRUARY 14 NUMBERS 13-16
Happy Valentine’s Day!
But there’s little happiness in the days described in Numbers 13-16. Things began well enough; the Israelite throng reached the threshold of the Promised Land. The Lord told Moses to send men from each tribe to explore the “land flowing with milk and honey,” (Exodus 3:8) and off they went. But things turned sour upon their return.
This exploratory trip was NOT designed to help them discern if they could conquer the Land. Remember, God had promised them this land; God had promised to help them take the Land. They were simply to explore and report.
To their credit, they did explore. To their shame, ten of twelve said, “We cannot attack those people; they are stronger than we are!” (Numbers 13:31)
Let’s pause to name these ten: Shammua, Shaphai, Igal, Palti, Gaddiel, Gaddi, Ammiel, Sethur, Nahbi, and Geuel. What do you notice about these names? Strange, aren’t they? Unmemorable? Nearly anonymous? Yet, they turned in the “majority report,” and incited the nation to follow them down the rabbit hole of fear!
Now, what were the names of the other two, the out-voted minority? Joshua and Caleb! Now these are names we know. These are names that parents, for centuries, have been proud to give to their children. You Morton UMC people; how many Calebs and Joshuas can you think of in our congregation alone?!
This rebellion and unbelief brought disastrous consequences. God nearly “struck them down with a plague” and began again with Moses; but Moses prayed and God relented. Still, the people were sentenced to wander the wilderness for forty years, so that every unbeliever of that generation might pass away. When this sentence was declared, the people rebelled again; and tried to reverse their punishment by attacking the Promised Land, anyway. When it comes to obedience, timing is important! Needless to say, this belated attack ended in humiliating defeat. The offerings commanded in Numbers 15 seem to be directly related to the people’s sin. The rebellion led by Korah, Dathan and Abiram in Numbers 16 has an even unhappier end: the ground opened and swallowed them alive! And when the people grumbled about that, a plague came and took 14,700 more of them. Only Moses’ and Aaron’s quick work of intercession and atonement, keep this day from being even worse.
Why am I thinking that the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre had nothing on these horrible days?
Until tomorrow,
Pastor Gary
But there’s little happiness in the days described in Numbers 13-16. Things began well enough; the Israelite throng reached the threshold of the Promised Land. The Lord told Moses to send men from each tribe to explore the “land flowing with milk and honey,” (Exodus 3:8) and off they went. But things turned sour upon their return.
This exploratory trip was NOT designed to help them discern if they could conquer the Land. Remember, God had promised them this land; God had promised to help them take the Land. They were simply to explore and report.
To their credit, they did explore. To their shame, ten of twelve said, “We cannot attack those people; they are stronger than we are!” (Numbers 13:31)
Let’s pause to name these ten: Shammua, Shaphai, Igal, Palti, Gaddiel, Gaddi, Ammiel, Sethur, Nahbi, and Geuel. What do you notice about these names? Strange, aren’t they? Unmemorable? Nearly anonymous? Yet, they turned in the “majority report,” and incited the nation to follow them down the rabbit hole of fear!
Now, what were the names of the other two, the out-voted minority? Joshua and Caleb! Now these are names we know. These are names that parents, for centuries, have been proud to give to their children. You Morton UMC people; how many Calebs and Joshuas can you think of in our congregation alone?!
This rebellion and unbelief brought disastrous consequences. God nearly “struck them down with a plague” and began again with Moses; but Moses prayed and God relented. Still, the people were sentenced to wander the wilderness for forty years, so that every unbeliever of that generation might pass away. When this sentence was declared, the people rebelled again; and tried to reverse their punishment by attacking the Promised Land, anyway. When it comes to obedience, timing is important! Needless to say, this belated attack ended in humiliating defeat. The offerings commanded in Numbers 15 seem to be directly related to the people’s sin. The rebellion led by Korah, Dathan and Abiram in Numbers 16 has an even unhappier end: the ground opened and swallowed them alive! And when the people grumbled about that, a plague came and took 14,700 more of them. Only Moses’ and Aaron’s quick work of intercession and atonement, keep this day from being even worse.
Why am I thinking that the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre had nothing on these horrible days?
Until tomorrow,
Pastor Gary
Thursday, February 13, 2014
FEBRUARY 13 NUMBERS 9 - 12
It’s time to leave Sinai, and everything is sunshine and lollipops.
The golden lamps are finished (Numbers 8:1-4). The Levites are cleansed (Numbers 8:5-22). The Passover is celebrated (Numbers 9:1-14). And the glory of the LORD—that is: the pillar of cloud by day, and the pillar of fire by night—was with them (Numbers 9:15-23). All that’s left to do is make the silver signal trumpets, by which this immense mass of humanity can move about in an organized fashion (Numbers 10:1-10).
And they’re off! Following the Ark of the Covenant, heading for the Promised Land, Moses in charge; what could go wrong?
They complained. God heard them. And fire consumed some of them.
They kept complaining, “O that we had some meat to eat! All we get is manna, manna, manna! Send us back to Egypt for some fish, leeks, onions and garlic!”
Then Moses starts complaining, too. (At least he complains to God!) “Why have you burdened me with these people? Where am I to get meat for them? I just can’t do this anymore; it’s too much for me!” Ever feel like that?
God’s response is interesting and instructive. He tells Moses to gather 70 elders of the people to stand with him as God speaks to them. God says, “I will take some of the Spirit that is on you and put it on them!” (Numbers 11:17) And as God does this, they prophesy (Numbers 11:25). When the Spirit causes a couple of others in the camp to prophesy, Joshua says, “Stop them;” but Moses says, “Are you jealous for my sake? Would that all the Lord’s people were prophets, and that the Lord would put his Spirit on all of them!” (Numbers 11:29) And so, Moses himself wished for and prophesied the day of Pentecost!
The people got their meat, but it made them sick. And before you know it, the complaining begins again. This time, it is none other than Moses’ brother and sister!
MORAL: The Holy Spirit is our only hope in dealing with difficult people. May the Spirit fall on us all!
Until tomorrow,
Pastor Gary
The golden lamps are finished (Numbers 8:1-4). The Levites are cleansed (Numbers 8:5-22). The Passover is celebrated (Numbers 9:1-14). And the glory of the LORD—that is: the pillar of cloud by day, and the pillar of fire by night—was with them (Numbers 9:15-23). All that’s left to do is make the silver signal trumpets, by which this immense mass of humanity can move about in an organized fashion (Numbers 10:1-10).
And they’re off! Following the Ark of the Covenant, heading for the Promised Land, Moses in charge; what could go wrong?
People!
They complained. God heard them. And fire consumed some of them.
They kept complaining, “O that we had some meat to eat! All we get is manna, manna, manna! Send us back to Egypt for some fish, leeks, onions and garlic!”
Then Moses starts complaining, too. (At least he complains to God!) “Why have you burdened me with these people? Where am I to get meat for them? I just can’t do this anymore; it’s too much for me!” Ever feel like that?
God’s response is interesting and instructive. He tells Moses to gather 70 elders of the people to stand with him as God speaks to them. God says, “I will take some of the Spirit that is on you and put it on them!” (Numbers 11:17) And as God does this, they prophesy (Numbers 11:25). When the Spirit causes a couple of others in the camp to prophesy, Joshua says, “Stop them;” but Moses says, “Are you jealous for my sake? Would that all the Lord’s people were prophets, and that the Lord would put his Spirit on all of them!” (Numbers 11:29) And so, Moses himself wished for and prophesied the day of Pentecost!
The people got their meat, but it made them sick. And before you know it, the complaining begins again. This time, it is none other than Moses’ brother and sister!
MORAL: The Holy Spirit is our only hope in dealing with difficult people. May the Spirit fall on us all!
Until tomorrow,
Pastor Gary
Wednesday, February 12, 2014
FEBRUARY 12 NUMBERS 5-8
These four chapters are a mixed bag of commands and accountings.
Right off the bat, know that you can skim much of Numbers 7. Once it gets going, each day’s offerings are pretty much identical. Reading it over and over again can give you a headache. Once you get the idea, skip to the totals at the end, and be amazed at the dedicatory offerings they were able to amass!
In Numbers 5, we find a troubling passage, one that almost sounds as if the Bible justifies a husband’s vague sense of jealousy (v. 14), and certainly seems chauvinistic, by modern standards. Try reading these verses as a protection for the wife from a husband’s unfounded accusations. Taking his wife to the priest (v. 15), for example, is a far better solution than taking matters into his own hands. As for the bitter water (a mixture of water and dust from the Tabernacle floor), God prescribed it as a spiritual, psychological and physical test. But apart from God’s guiding hand, it sounds strange.
Numbers 6 describes the requirements for a special period of devotion in the life of an Israelite; called a Nazirite vow. Nazir means “to separate.” Any man or woman could “separate themselves to the Lord” in this way. For the period of this vow, they would abstain from fermented and unfermented grape juice or even grapes, as well as haircuts or shaving of any kind. There was also a process for re-entry after the period of separation was complete. John the Baptist, it appears, might have been a life-time member of the Nazirite club! (Luke 1:13-15)
Speaking of being “set apart,” the Levites are separated from Israel for the special works to which they were called (Numbers 8). And one of those works was to bless the people. God back to the blessing the priestly Levites were use: Numbers 6:22-27. It’s famous and wonderful, especially so to me; for with these words I blessed my sons each night as they were growing up.
Until tomorrow,
Pastor Gary
Right off the bat, know that you can skim much of Numbers 7. Once it gets going, each day’s offerings are pretty much identical. Reading it over and over again can give you a headache. Once you get the idea, skip to the totals at the end, and be amazed at the dedicatory offerings they were able to amass!
In Numbers 5, we find a troubling passage, one that almost sounds as if the Bible justifies a husband’s vague sense of jealousy (v. 14), and certainly seems chauvinistic, by modern standards. Try reading these verses as a protection for the wife from a husband’s unfounded accusations. Taking his wife to the priest (v. 15), for example, is a far better solution than taking matters into his own hands. As for the bitter water (a mixture of water and dust from the Tabernacle floor), God prescribed it as a spiritual, psychological and physical test. But apart from God’s guiding hand, it sounds strange.
Numbers 6 describes the requirements for a special period of devotion in the life of an Israelite; called a Nazirite vow. Nazir means “to separate.” Any man or woman could “separate themselves to the Lord” in this way. For the period of this vow, they would abstain from fermented and unfermented grape juice or even grapes, as well as haircuts or shaving of any kind. There was also a process for re-entry after the period of separation was complete. John the Baptist, it appears, might have been a life-time member of the Nazirite club! (Luke 1:13-15)
Speaking of being “set apart,” the Levites are separated from Israel for the special works to which they were called (Numbers 8). And one of those works was to bless the people. God back to the blessing the priestly Levites were use: Numbers 6:22-27. It’s famous and wonderful, especially so to me; for with these words I blessed my sons each night as they were growing up.
Until tomorrow,
Pastor Gary
Tuesday, February 11, 2014
FEBRUARY 11 NUMBERS 1-4
We call Numbers “Numbers” because the early Greek translation of Numbers called it so. The reason is obvious: Chapters 1-4 and 26 are full of numbers, amazing numbers, BIG numbers. Some scholars pooh-pooh the numbers in the book of Numbers, simply because they cannot believe so many people could maneuver their way through the wilderness.
But this is precisely why God ordered a counting and an arrangement for traveling and camping. God was helping Moses get this massive amount of humanity organized for the long haul: forty years—as we shall see—wandering in the wilderness. I especially love how the Lord divided up Tabernacle moving responsibilities among the three Levitical clans (Numbers 3-4); the Kohathites were to carry the Tabernacle furnishings, the Gershonites its curtains and coverings, and the Merarites, its frames and posts. The camp arrangements (Numbers 2) gave the Tabernacle maximum protection.
The Hebrew name for the book is bemidbar, which means, “in the desert.” This is probably more descriptive of the book as a whole, for the book of Numbers describes their desert time, from their disastrous faith-fall to their arrival at the doorstep of the Promised Land 40 years later.
Lord, as we read through Numbers, teach us to “number” our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom (Psalm 90:12).
Until tomorrow,
Pastor Gary
But this is precisely why God ordered a counting and an arrangement for traveling and camping. God was helping Moses get this massive amount of humanity organized for the long haul: forty years—as we shall see—wandering in the wilderness. I especially love how the Lord divided up Tabernacle moving responsibilities among the three Levitical clans (Numbers 3-4); the Kohathites were to carry the Tabernacle furnishings, the Gershonites its curtains and coverings, and the Merarites, its frames and posts. The camp arrangements (Numbers 2) gave the Tabernacle maximum protection.
The Hebrew name for the book is bemidbar, which means, “in the desert.” This is probably more descriptive of the book as a whole, for the book of Numbers describes their desert time, from their disastrous faith-fall to their arrival at the doorstep of the Promised Land 40 years later.
Lord, as we read through Numbers, teach us to “number” our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom (Psalm 90:12).
Until tomorrow,
Pastor Gary
Monday, February 10, 2014
FEBRUARY 10, 2014 LEVITICUS 24-27
Today, we finish Leviticus; Numbers is just around the corner!
Leviticus has no story arc and only a barely discernable outline. But if there’s a climax or one exultant moment in this book, it occurs in Leviticus 25. Let me quote from one of my favorite Charles Wesley hymns:
Blow ye the trumpet, blow! The gladly solemn sound;
Let all the nations know, to earth’s remotest bound:
The year of Jubilee is come! The year of Jubilee is come!
Return ye ransomed sinners, home.
After reminding us of the prescribed feasts in Leviticus 23, and cleaning up some commandments concerning the tabernacle furnishings in Leviticus 24 (along with one brief account of a young man who “cursed” the name of God), Moses passes along the Lord’s instructions concerning the “Year of Jubilee.” After seven cycles of Sabbath years, when farmers were to give the land a “rest” (another example of God giving wisdom to Israel that predates the science that supports it!), God commanded a 50th year, a year of Jubilee, a year that begins on the Day of Atonement with the blast of a trumpet (The Hebrews word for Jubilee means “trumpet!”).
The point of this celebration can be made with one word: freedom. In the Year of Jubilee, slaves were set free, debts were forgiven, and lost property was returned. At least, this was what God instructed. The fact that there is no evidence that Israel ever celebrated the Year of Jubilee makes us wonder: Why is the command to celebrate it included?
Followers of Jesus Christ have long agreed: the Year of Jubilee constitutes an ongoing longing in the hearts and minds of God’s people for freedom from slavery and debt. Jesus personally inaugurated the Era of Jubilee through His death and resurrection, paying our debt and freeing us from slavery to sin!
Through the love of Jesus we can (look back at Leviticus!) show kindness to the poor (Leviticus 25:35-46), serve as instruments of redemption (Leviticus 25:47-55), live lives of obedience (Leviticus 26), and keep our promises (Leviticus 27). The year of Jubilee has come! Praise His Name!
Until tomorrow,
Pastor Gary
Leviticus has no story arc and only a barely discernable outline. But if there’s a climax or one exultant moment in this book, it occurs in Leviticus 25. Let me quote from one of my favorite Charles Wesley hymns:
Blow ye the trumpet, blow! The gladly solemn sound;
Let all the nations know, to earth’s remotest bound:
The year of Jubilee is come! The year of Jubilee is come!
Return ye ransomed sinners, home.
After reminding us of the prescribed feasts in Leviticus 23, and cleaning up some commandments concerning the tabernacle furnishings in Leviticus 24 (along with one brief account of a young man who “cursed” the name of God), Moses passes along the Lord’s instructions concerning the “Year of Jubilee.” After seven cycles of Sabbath years, when farmers were to give the land a “rest” (another example of God giving wisdom to Israel that predates the science that supports it!), God commanded a 50th year, a year of Jubilee, a year that begins on the Day of Atonement with the blast of a trumpet (The Hebrews word for Jubilee means “trumpet!”).
The point of this celebration can be made with one word: freedom. In the Year of Jubilee, slaves were set free, debts were forgiven, and lost property was returned. At least, this was what God instructed. The fact that there is no evidence that Israel ever celebrated the Year of Jubilee makes us wonder: Why is the command to celebrate it included?
Followers of Jesus Christ have long agreed: the Year of Jubilee constitutes an ongoing longing in the hearts and minds of God’s people for freedom from slavery and debt. Jesus personally inaugurated the Era of Jubilee through His death and resurrection, paying our debt and freeing us from slavery to sin!
Through the love of Jesus we can (look back at Leviticus!) show kindness to the poor (Leviticus 25:35-46), serve as instruments of redemption (Leviticus 25:47-55), live lives of obedience (Leviticus 26), and keep our promises (Leviticus 27). The year of Jubilee has come! Praise His Name!
Until tomorrow,
Pastor Gary
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