Numbers Day 3

NOTE: I am heading out of town and and will not have reliable internet access. The Faith Builders Daily Bible Studies will resume Thursday, March 20.

Today's Reading: Numbers 17, 20, 21

Context: The elders had been grumbling about why they should listen to Moses and Aaron, so God gave a visible sign that he had selected them to lead the Israelites. The Israelites continued their journey in the desert

Today's Devotion: Numbers 20, 1-13

1 In the first month the whole Israelite community arrived at the Desert of Zin, and they stayed at Kadesh. There Miriam died and was buried.
2 Now there was no water for the community, and the people gathered in opposition to Moses and Aaron. 3 They quarreled with Moses and said, "If only we had died when our brothers fell dead before the LORD! 4 Why did you bring the LORD's community into this desert, that we and our livestock should die here? 5 Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to this terrible place? It has no grain or figs, grapevines or pomegranates. And there is no water to drink!"
6 Moses and Aaron went from the assembly to the entrance to the Tent of Meeting and fell facedown, and the glory of the LORD appeared to them. 7 The LORD said to Moses, 8 "Take the staff, and you and your brother Aaron gather the assembly together. Speak to that rock before their eyes and it will pour out its water. You will bring water out of the rock for the community so they and their livestock can drink."

9 So Moses took the staff from the LORD's presence, just as he commanded him. 10 He and Aaron gathered the assembly together in front of the rock and Moses said to them, "Listen, you rebels, must we bring you water out of this rock?" 11 Then Moses raised his arm and struck the rock twice with his staff. Water gushed out, and the community and their livestock drank.

12 But the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, "Because you did not trust in me enough to honor me as holy in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this community into the land I give them."

13 These were the waters of Meribah, where the Israelites quarreled with the LORD and where he showed himself holy among them. (NIV)

taken from www.biblegateway.com

Moses was one of God's most esteemed leaders, yet even he faltered and failed to live up to God's expectations. Because of Moses' impatience and frustration, he failed to give God the glory for providing water from the rock.

As we know, God could have struck him dead, yet he did not. However, Moses was unable to attain the goal he was looking forward to.

In Matthew 17:3, we see Moses and Elijah speaking with Jesus on a mountainside. Obviously Moses continued to be near to God in eternity. This failure on his part did not have eternal ramifications. Nonetheless I'm sure he was terribly disappointed that he was unable to step foot in the Promised Land.

I wonder what magnificent things I'm missing because I don't obey...

Numbers Day 2

Today's Reading: Exodus 9, 11, 13

Context: These three chapters cover separate, but related, topics. Chapter 9 addresses the celebration of Passover as an annual event, chapter 11 details the Israelites frustration with manna, and chapter 13 covers the exploration of the Promised Land.

Today's Devotion: Numbers 11:21-23

21 But Moses said, "Here I am among six hundred thousand men on foot, and you say, 'I will give them meat to eat for a whole month!' 22 Would they have enough if flocks and herds were slaughtered for them? Would they have enough if all the fish in the sea were caught for them?"
23 The LORD answered Moses, "Is the LORD's arm too short? You will now see whether or not what I say will come true for you." (NIV)

Taken from www.biblegateway.com

After reading all three chapters, verse 11:23 seems to sum up the whole intent of today's reading. The people quickly forgot the miracles God performed in Egypt, and he gave them a permanent reminder. They got frustrated with the gift of food they had received (and I'm sure I would have been complaining, too), and God provided meat. They were scared of the people in the land God was providing, yet they couldn't remember, or maybe couldn't believe, that he would really deliver it to them, too.

God is the same today as he was yesterday, and his arms are still long enough to surround us with his love. Next time I'm tempted to doubt, I hope I remember God's reply to Moses, "Is the Lord's arm too short? You will not see whether or not whjat I say will come true for you." I also want to remember to be careful what I ask for...the Israelites request for meat resulted in piles of quail three feet deep!

Numbers - Day 1

Today's reading: Numbers 1-5

Today's devotion Nu 3:40-51

Context: God has called Moses to lead a census of the Hebrews. He gave specific instructions about those who are to be counted and those who should help with the administration of the census. God told each tribe where to camp in relation to the temple. He has also given specific instructions to the different clans of Levi regarding their jobs around the temple.

Despite the text spent as a result of the census, there is a lot of meaty stuff in today's reading. A couple of highlights:

- God told each clan of Levi specifically what their jobs would be. Wouldn't you like a note in the mail telling you what to do? Of course, I know that if I was told to do something I'd rebel and want to do something else...

- I wonder how long it took to count 603, 550 men?

- Did you realize that the Levites aren't counted among the Twelve Tribes? Joseph's sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, were each given tribal status, bringing the number of tribes to twelve (Juday, Issachar, Zebulun, Reuben, Simeon, Gad, Ephraim, Manasseh, Benjamin, Dan, Asher, Naphtali). The Levites are set apart from the other tribes.

- Look at verses 3:40-51-

40 The LORD said to Moses, "Count all the firstborn Israelite males who are a month old or more and make a list of their names. 41 Take the Levites for me in place of all the firstborn of the Israelites, and the livestock of the Levites in place of all the firstborn of the livestock of the Israelites. I am the LORD."
42 So Moses counted all the firstborn of the Israelites, as the LORD commanded him. 43 The total number of firstborn males a month old or more, listed by name, was 22,273.

44 The LORD also said to Moses, 45 "Take the Levites in place of all the firstborn of Israel, and the livestock of the Levites in place of their livestock. The Levites are to be mine. I am the LORD. 46 To redeem the 273 firstborn Israelites who exceed the number of the Levites, 47 collect five shekels for each one, according to the sanctuary shekel, which weighs twenty gerahs. 48 Give the money for the redemption of the additional Israelites to Aaron and his sons."

49 So Moses collected the redemption money from those who exceeded the number redeemed by the Levites. 50 From the firstborn of the Israelites he collected silver weighing 1,365 shekels, according to the sanctuary shekel. 51 Moses gave the redemption money to Aaron and his sons, as he was commanded by the word of the LORD. (NIV - taken from www.biblegateway.com)

God took the firstborn of the Egyptians in punishment for their resistance, but he saved the firstborn of the Hebrews on Passover. Now he has set the firstborn aside in his service, but instead of taking each one away from his own family he sets the Levites into service in their place. Levi wasn't the firstborn of the twelve sons of Jacob (he was third -- Leah's boy). I can't find any text that says he was special or deserved this distinction. In fact, he and Simeon killed all the Shechemites in revenge of their sisters' rape. Their father's final blessing cursed their anger and cruel fury, and he stated that they'd be scattered in Israel.

Yet, from this beginning God pulled the descendants of Levi aside and gave them a place of special honor among their relatives. If he can do this with people who had such a violent beginning, what can he do with us?

- I can't finish these chapters without mentioning that Chapter 5:11-31 never fails to frustrate me...what about the men in this situation? Both the other who might be involved in the sin and the one who brought his wife in for such treatment if he was wrong...

Leviticus Day 5

Today's Reading: Leviticus 21-25

Today's Devotion: Leviticus 24:10-16

Context: God has given the rules for priests and he has started listing special occasions the Israelites are to celebrate.

Text

10 Now the son of an Israelite mother and an Egyptian father went out among the Israelites, and a fight broke out in the camp between him and an Israelite. 11 The son of the Israelite woman blasphemed the Name with a curse; so they brought him to Moses. (His mother's name was Shelomith, the daughter of Dibri the Danite.) 12 They put him in custody until the will of the LORD should be made clear to them.

13 Then the LORD said to Moses: 14 "Take the blasphemer outside the camp. All those who heard him are to lay their hands on his head, and the entire assembly is to stone him. 15 Say to the Israelites: 'If anyone curses his God, he will be held responsible; 16 anyone who blasphemes the name of the LORD must be put to death. The entire assembly must stone him. Whether an alien or native-born, when he blasphemes the Name, he must be put to death. (NIV)

taken from www.biblegateway.com

As best I can remember, this is the first instance of stoning in the Bible. I find it interesting that his mother's name is listed for eternity, but we don't know the name of the culprit. It says he was half Hebrew and half Egyptian...it makes you curious about the circumstances of his conception and birth. Was he the child of a forbidden relationship, or did the Egyptian force himself upon his mother?

I wonder what the scene really looked like. The Israelites have seen a few instances of death for sin -- after the golden calf and when Aaron's sons made unauthorized presentations to God. But this is an action of the 'entire assembly'.

All had heard the rules as they were presented by Moses. When this man (don't know how old he was) blasphemed, I wonder what the reaction of the onlookers was? Was there horrified silence? Did one person run directly to Moses, or did people jump him and forcefully drag him there? Did everyone silently go home and then later, with heavy consciences or maybe even malice against the circumstances of his birth, secretly meet with Moses to tell what was seen?

However the situation unfolded, the man was taken to Moses and held in custody while they prayed for direction. God, upholding the laws he had stated, required death -- a very visible death to prevent others from committing the same crime. I'm presuming all the men in the camp hauled him forcefully to the edge of the camp. The one he fought and those surrounding him laid their hands on him and most likely (hopefully) prayed for his soul. Each member of the assembly picked up a rock and took aim.

If every man in the camp threw a stone, there was probably a huge pile of rocks right outside the camp as a constant reminder of the consequences of sin.

Maybe we need a few of those reminders for our society today!

Leviticus Day 4

Today's Reading: Leviticus 16 - 20

Today's Devotion: Lev 16:29-34

Context: After the death of Aaron's two sons, God is giving instructions to Moses about how Aaron should approach the Lord in the future to avoid death.

Text:

29 "This is to be a lasting ordinance for you: On the tenth day of the seventh month you must deny yourselves and not do any work—whether native-born or an alien living among you- 30 because on this day atonement will be made for you, to cleanse you. Then, before the LORD, you will be clean from all your sins. 31 It is a sabbath of rest, and you must deny yourselves; it is a lasting ordinance. 32 The priest who is anointed and ordained to succeed his father as high priest is to make atonement. He is to put on the sacred linen garments 33 and make atonement for the Most Holy Place, for the Tent of Meeting and the altar, and for the priests and all the people of the community.

34 "This is to be a lasting ordinance for you: Atonement is to be made once a year for all the sins of the Israelites."
And it was done, as the LORD commanded Moses.(NIV)

taken from www.biblegateway.com

God has given many rules thus far in Leviticus, and there are many more to come. As we know, it was humanly impossible to obey every rule -- especially in later years when the priests added strict interpretation of those laws.

But hidden here in Chapter 16 is a way for the entire nation of Israel to make atonement for their sins once each year. It follows a series of instructions that Aaron must follow in order to come into God's presence to seek this atonement.

Because Christ offered himself once and for all as a sacrifice for our sins, we no longer have to go through an earthly priest and long rituals to seek atonement. All we have to do is get down on our knees and ask God for his forgiveness directly.

One day each year the Israelites were to cease all work and spend their day seeking God's forgiveness. I wonder how different America would be if we all spent one day asking for individual and community atonement?

Leviticus Day 3

Today's Reading: Leviticus 11-15

Today's Devotion: Lev 14:1-11

Context: After an extensive list of things that will make a person 'unclean', God gives instructions for cleansing someone who has had a skin disease.

Text:

1 The LORD said to Moses, 2 "These are the regulations for the diseased person at the time of his ceremonial cleansing, when he is brought to the priest: 3 The priest is to go outside the camp and examine him. If the person has been healed of his infectious skin disease, 4 the priest shall order that two live clean birds and some cedar wood, scarlet yarn and hyssop be brought for the one to be cleansed. 5 Then the priest shall order that one of the birds be killed over fresh water in a clay pot. 6 He is then to take the live bird and dip it, together with the cedar wood, the scarlet yarn and the hyssop, into the blood of the bird that was killed over the fresh water. 7 Seven times he shall sprinkle the one to be cleansed of the infectious disease and pronounce him clean. Then he is to release the live bird in the open fields.
8 "The person to be cleansed must wash his clothes, shave off all his hair and bathe with water; then he will be ceremonially clean. After this he may come into the camp, but he must stay outside his tent for seven days. 9 On the seventh day he must shave off all his hair; he must shave his head, his beard, his eyebrows and the rest of his hair. He must wash his clothes and bathe himself with water, and he will be clean.

10 "On the eighth day he must bring two male lambs and one ewe lamb a year old, each without defect, along with three-tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering, and one log of oil. 11 The priest who pronounces him clean shall present both the one to be cleansed and his offerings before the LORD at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. (NIV)

taken from www.biblegateway.com

Actually the instructions continue on for several more verses. In the close quarters of the Hebrew tents, it was vital to contain infectious diseases quickly. While it might seem harsh to send people outside of the camp in isolation, this practice may have saved many lives over the course of time.

It's hard to understand the rigidity of these instructions, but God has good reasons for all he requires...even if it is just to see if we will obey.

But if it wasn't enough to be sent outside the camp for a long period of time, the returning man or woman had to be sprinkled with the blood of a bird...and the sprinkling agent was a live bird (can you imagine the difficulty in that?). He or she then shaved his head, bathed, and lived outside of his tent for another week. All hair was then shaved again (and remember they didn't have safety razors!), sacrifices were made, and the person was clean. And all knew that he or she had been through this process for several weeks while the hair grew back.

We have times of isolation for health reasons these days, but few are as drastic as these. There is no mention of treatment options for those who were afflicted, but I imagine many of the elders had cures of some sort for a variety of ailments. I'm really glad God has allowed us to discover and use cures and treatments!

Leviticus Day 2

Today's Reading - Leviticus 6 - 10

Today's Devotion Text Lev 8:31-36

Context: God has provided very specific directions for the presentation of offerings. His directions for the ordination of Aaron and his sons are being followed.

Text:

31 Moses then said to Aaron and his sons, "Cook the meat at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting and eat it there with the bread from the basket of ordination offerings, as I commanded, saying, 'Aaron and his sons are to eat it.' 32 Then burn up the rest of the meat and the bread. 33 Do not leave the entrance to the Tent of Meeting for seven days, until the days of your ordination are completed, for your ordination will last seven days. 34 What has been done today was commanded by the LORD to make atonement for you. 35 You must stay at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting day and night for seven days and do what the LORD requires, so you will not die; for that is what I have been commanded." 36 So Aaron and his sons did everything the LORD commanded through Moses. (NIV)

taken from www.biblegateway.com

Can you believe all the work that God has asked Aaron and his four sons to do? They are responsible for slaughtering all the animals, cooking the flour offerings, and keeping the fire burning 24/7. The have to do it in fancy garments which are to be kept clean despite all the killing and blood splattering that they are to do. Now they are told to spend an entire week at the entrance to a tent...not in the tent sheltered from the sun and the wind, but at the entrance. They are not to leave...I hope they were aware of this before they showed up for the ordination that morning!

It doesn't sound like there is much privacy...and I'm sure there aren't any comfortable chairs or beds. And, it might be a little indelicate to mention this, but I'm assuming there isn't an outhouse nearby....

In today's world of multitasking and over-scheduling, I can't even imagine sitting in one place (without a phone, computer, television, or even a good book) for an entire week day and night. I wonder what they talked about -- the overwhelming challenges ahead of them, the miracles of their journey so far, childhood memories? Did they pray constantly? Did people come to visit?

There were many rules to follow exactly, and a lot of hard labor to do. Why did God ask these things of them? I'm not sure they thought being set apart was an honor.

Has God ever asked you to do something that seemed to be more than you could handle? Has he ever asked you to sit still for a period of time and focus on him and the job he's asked you to do?

What is God asking of you today?

Leviticus Day 1

Leviticus is next! Doesn't that just fill you with excitement? We are heading into three books that are typically considered long, dry, and dull. Why would God include books of rules and genealogies for us to plod through? Hang in there for a couple of weeks and you'll see that there's actually some pretty cool stuff in there...and you may even find Jesus hiding among the verses!

Leviticus has 27 chapters. We'll cover five per day, and you can read the last two on your own before class Sunday.

Today's reading Lev 1-5.

Today's devotion: Lev 5:13-17

Context: Leviticus 1-5 explains the requirements for burnt, grain, fellowship, sin, and guilt offerings to the Lord.

Text:

7 " 'If he cannot afford a lamb, he is to bring two doves or two young pigeons to the LORD as a penalty for his sin—one for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering. 8 He is to bring them to the priest, who shall first offer the one for the sin offering. He is to wring its head from its neck, not severing it completely, 9 and is to sprinkle some of the blood of the sin offering against the side of the altar; the rest of the blood must be drained out at the base of the altar. It is a sin offering. 10 The priest shall then offer the other as a burnt offering in the prescribed way and make atonement for him for the sin he has committed, and he will be forgiven.
11 " 'If, however, he cannot afford two doves or two young pigeons, he is to bring as an offering for his sin a tenth of an ephah of fine flour for a sin offering. He must not put oil or incense on it, because it is a sin offering. 12 He is to bring it to the priest, who shall take a handful of it as a memorial portion and burn it on the altar on top of the offerings made to the LORD by fire. It is a sin offering. 13 In this way the priest will make atonement for him for any of these sins he has committed, and he will be forgiven. The rest of the offering will belong to the priest, as in the case of the grain offering.' " (NIV)

taken from www.biblegateway.com

Leviticus makes me appreciate Jesus more than any other book in the Bible. In these five short chapters I am overwhelmed by the requirements to obey the laws. I know that I would have presented my offering and then gotten right back in line (behind about a million other people) due to conscious and unintentional sin. I'm sure it wouldn't have taken long to kill off my entire flock!

While his rules are strict, I appreciate God's awareness of the poor even in his requirements for sacrifice. He wanted people to give what they had, not to spend their time finding or creating great and marvelous things to give him. He didn't value a perfect ram more than a perfect pigeon, dove, or scoop of flour. It was a person's heart he was really after.

Oh, I also wanted to point out a diet challenge I found in these passages. If you follow Leviticus 3:17 (and spend forty years wandering around in the desert), I'm sure you will be a lean and mean fighting machine!