When the land was divided up between all the tribes of Israel the Levites were given a portion of the cities. Chapter 35 denotes six of these cities as ‘Cities of Refuge’ for anyone who had accidentally killed someone or committed a crime. I wonder if there were ever life or death races to a refuge city. Could justice have been served for the innocent people in any other way? In a society where there were constant life and death struggles between one nation and another it seems like such a different life compared to today. But you still see people today that want to be a vigilante and take the law into their own hands and these cities of refuge would help protect people from such vigilantes. Continue Reading…
Archive - February, 2010
Cities of Refuge for the Israelites in Numbers 35 and 36
Past remembered and future foretold within Numbers 33 and 34
We get a look at the past and future of Israel in Numbers 33 and 34. The past 40 years of the Israelites journeying in the wilderness is chronicled by each spot where the people camped. It is amazing to think of a few million people moving from place to place. I am amazed by the thought of coordinating so many people. Why was it important for the people to remember where they had been? I can only think of my own life and walk with God. There are moments in my life when it is absolutely necessary for me to look back and remember the journey that God is leading me on. In the same way the Israelites needed to be able to look back upon their history to remember their past and the God that they served. Continue Reading…
Living life in radical obedience to God in Numbers 31 and 32
Today I gained a better understanding who Balaam the son of Beor was from the story beginning in chapter 22 and concluding chapters 23 and 24. It was easy to look at Balaam as a good man similar to Melchizedek because Balaam was speaking of God but in Numbers 31 verse 8 we are told that Balaam was killed by the Israelites when they attacked Midian. I had compared Melchizedek to Balaam but they are each very different? Melchizedek was a priest of the Most High God where Balaam was an oracle who God used. Melchizedek was given offerings by the Israelites. Balaam lived among the people who worshiped Baal and these same people are the ones who Israel played the harlot with. There is no comparison to these men as I thought because one worship God, Melchizedek, and Balaam didn’t worship God. Continue Reading…
Hold to your word as you sojourn on Earth: Numbers 29 and 30
After reading Numbers 29 and 30 today all I am left with many confusing questions. Why are the sacrifices constantly being restated? Were the people not listening? What’s the point? As I ask these questions I remember what has happened in Numbers 27 where the mantle of leadership is transfered from Moses to Joshua. I am also reminded of Numbers 26 where the census was take again after the 40 years in the wilderness and there the was no one left who was numbered in the wilderness because God said, “They shall surely die in the wilderness.” Only Caleb the son of Jephunneh and Joshua the son of Nun were left from those who disbelieved and rebelled. Continue Reading…
Keys to effective and powerful leadership glimpsed: Numbers 27 and 28
How would you view the end of your life? When I die what will my thoughts be like? Moses’ life is coming to an end in Numbers 27 and God tells him to walk up a mountain to see the promised land and then he would be gathered to his people. Why do both Moses and Aaron climb a mountain to die? I suppose for Moses it was to gain a view of the promised land before his death. When I learn that death is close at hand how will I act? I yet to face the reality of my own death and I feel like my whole life is still before me with an unlimited number of things to accomplish. Moses had a full life of learning to depend upon God as the people of Israel were brought out of captivity in Egypt. Moses’ main concern was for the well-being of the people when he asks God to “appoint a man over the congregation, who will go out and come in before them, and who will lead them out and bring them in, so that the congregation of the Lord will not be like sheep which have no shepherd.” Continue Reading…
Taking hold of the promise from the wilderness in Numbers 25 and 26
How many times will the Israelites disobey and challenge God? How many times will I disobey and challenge God? In Numbers 25 Israel again disobeys God. They played the harlot with the daughters of Moab. God called on the people to be set apart and not give into the pagan and sinful ways of the surrounding people. It is all too easy for out lustful desires to turn into outright idol worship. God’s anger was again kindled against the people and all the men who joined themselves in worshiping Baal would be put to death. I love the contrast that we see in how Phinehas the son of Eleazar saw a man an woman openly sinning in front of the Tabernacle. He took a spear and killed them both and in doing so he turned God’s wrath away. When I am faced with sinful desires in my own life do I eagerly attack it or instead do I sit and attempt to reason with sin? It is more difficult to stand apart from the sinful ways of society but God will notice when you make a stand for Him just as He noticed Phinehas and gave him a covenant of peace for him and his descendants. Continue Reading…
Stand firm in your faith against opposition: Numbers 23 and 24
In Numbers 22 the story of Balaam started where Balak, king of Moab, was desiring to see Balaam curse Israel. In Numbers 23 and 24 we hear what, “The oracle of Balaam the son of Beor, And the oracle of the man whose eye is opened, The oracle of him who hears the words of God, And knows the knowledge of the Most High, Who sees the vision of the Almighty, Falling down, yet having his eyes uncovered” has to say from God. Continue Reading…
A donkey smarter than it’s master: Numbers 21 and 22
The more I read through Numbers I am constantly reminded that humans are obstinate and headstrong. Numbers 21 the people of Israel again are complaining to God and Moses. They don’t like the hardship and would rather be back in Egypt. God sent fiery serpents among the people and many died. Moses intercedes for the people and creates a bronze serpent that is set on a pole as commanded by God. In their disobedience the people only needed to look upon the the bronze serpent to be healed from the snake bites. Did everyone believe enough to look upon the bronze snake and be healed? I would bet that there were some people who didn’t have faith and they died. It seems very much like how people today don’t want to place their trust in Jesus Christ for salvation. Why is it when something is so easy that it becomes an insurmountable barrier for some to overcome? Continue Reading…
Hope in a High Priest of a new order: Numbers 19 and 20
In Numbers 19 gives greater detail about how a person who is unclean becomes clean. I am amazed at how much death, sacrifice, and blood are apart of cleansing. Eleazar, a priest and Aaron’s son, was to watch the killing and burned of an unblemished red heifer outside the camp. Cedar wood was added to the burning heifer and the ash was collected in a clean spot outside. This ash was mixed with water and an unclean person would wash themselves with the water to become clean. It sounds a little savage to wash yourself with water containing ash from a burnt heifer. It makes sense to me because in Hebrews 9:22 states, “And according to the Law, one may almost say, all things are cleansed with blood, and with out the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.” Continue Reading…
Dissatisfaction in God’s sovereignty contained in Numbers 17 and 18
Do you find yourself grumbling about what you don’t have or what has happened in life? Why do you grumble? In Numbers there have been some Israelites grumbling against God. In Numbers 16 Korah and other men wanted to claim the right to sacrifice before God and they were killed because of their disobedience. Why were they grumbling? I can only look upon why I grumble and complain about things in my life. Mostly I look at something else that I think would make my life better: a girlfriend, more money, a new car, bigger apartment, a different family, or better health. It all comes down to what I think would complete and make my life better. These perceptions of what I think would complete my life will never satisfy my desires because there will always be one more thing that I think I need. Was this reverence and desire for the priesthood the drive of the peoples grumbling? Continue Reading…
