Did Hannah feel abandoned by God because she was unable to have a child? In 1 Samuel 1:10 Hannah prays to God, “O Lord of hosts, if You indeed look on the affliction of Your maidservant and remember me, and not forget Your Maid servant, but will give your maidservant a son, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and a razor shall never come on his head.” Do you ever feel as if God is too busy to concern Himself with the affairs of your life? Look at the words Hannah spoke to God: if you look on me, if you remember me, and if you don’t forget. Hannah has come to a moment of complete brokenness before God and she is asking God to bless her with a son. In this low moment of life Hannah has little self worth but she has chosen to cling to God in the midst of her storm.

As Hannah was praying fervently to God she was noticed by the priest Eli and he thought that she was drunk because she was moving her lip but no words we coming out of her mouth. What would your reaction be if you were in Hannah’s position where you are burdened and coming to God and you again are assaulted by peoples assumptions of who you are. Hannah responds to Eli, “No, my Lord, I am a woman oppressed in spirit; I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I have poured out my soul before the Lord. Do not consider you maidservant as a worthless woman, for I have spoken until now out of my great concern and provocation.” 1 Samuel 1:15,16  Why did Eli assume this negative view of Hannah? Eli responds compassionately to Hannah, “Go in peace; and may the God of Israel grant your petition that you have asked of Him.” 1:17  A remarkable transformation occurred within Hannah because she went away and her face was no longer sad. What happened to change her perspective? Hannah had an encounter with God that left her changed because she had left her worries and concerns with God.

After you have passionately prayed to God do you remember your words later? Do you remember to give thanks when God delivers you? Hannah becomes pregnant and gives birth to a son, Samuel. Is it easy to forget your words to God when you get what you wanted? Imagine the discussion that occured between Elkanah and Hannah when she tells him that Samuel would be a Nazarite who would dwell with the priest at the Tabernacle. Hannah was true to her vow to God when she brought Samuel to Eli and dedicated him to God. Are you faithful to your word? Do you remember to give thanks to God when he works mightily to deliver you?

The change that occurred within Hannah is evidenced in 1 Samuel 2:1-10 when she sings a song of thanksgiving to God. Hannah acknowledges that God is the one who granted her a son and this song is wholly focused upon God and what He did. How often do we forget to give God the credit he deserves? We are so often filled with pride and we tout our pride as we wrap it within the veil of our prayers. Hannah’s song tells how God’s ways are not our ways because the weak become strong, the hungry will be fed, the barren give birth, the poor become rich, and lifts up the weary and downtrodden. Gone is the sad and weary Hannah of chapter 1 and now we see a woman confident in life because she has encountered God and she was changed. I believe when we earnestly and wholeheartedly seek God we will never be the same after that encounter.

The final verses of 1 Samuel 2 show how depraved the sons of Eli had become, “Now the sons of Eli were worthless men; they did not know the Lord.” 1 Samuel 2:12  The words seem harsh to say these men are worthless but the selfish actions of Hophni and Phinehas showed that they despised the offerings they were charged to offer God. Remember back to Judges where everyone was doing what was right in their eye and not following the commands of God. When Eli became aware of his sons sinful actions he rebukes them but they do not heed the words of their father. In the end a man of God comes to Eli saying, “Those who honor me I will honor, and those who despise Me will be lightly esteemed. Behold, the days are coming when I will break your strength and the strength of your father’s house so that there will not be an old man in your your house.” 1 Samuel 2:30b,31  When our actions fall away from what God desires for us what is the outcome? As you look upon your own life remember to cling to God and in doing so you will love God and love people as His purpose is worked out in your life. Remember to fix your eyes upon Jesus Christ the author and perfecter of our hope.

There is a contrast seen between 1 Samuel 1 and 2 when you look at the how self worth is expressed. Hannah counted her worthiness of little value in her eyes while Hophni and Phinehas, the sons of Eli, counted themselves of great worth because of their position. How do you find your value? What is your foundation of self worth based upon? Only a solid foundation of faith in God can secure your worth. Hannah who was esteemed little was blessed beyond measure and found to be of great worth while Hophni and Phinehas were shown to be worthless men and esteemed little. Seek your worth in the person of Jesus Christ and you will be able to rest secured in knowing who you are because you know who He is.

I love the foreshadowing that we see in Number that points to the need of Jesus Christ, the better sacrifice. The people had God dwelling among them in the Tabernacle in a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. God loved the Israelites so much that he blessed them with his law. Yet the obstinate and headstrong people continued to complain. Their disbelief culminated in their wandering in the wilderness for 40 years. During the years in the wilderness God imparted structure to the people of Israel. I wonder at how it would have been for the surrounding nations to see a people coming out of the wilderness as a cohesive entity. The people constantly had to learn to depend on God  and they needed to learn who they were in light of who God is. Still the people complained, grumbled, and disbelieved God and consistently challenged His authority in their lives. As time progressed leaders developed like Joshua and Eleazar who desired to stand for God and remind the people to constantly look to God. The constant failure of the Israelites to follow God’s commands points to the greatest insurmountable wall. The wall was only able to be overcome when Jesus Christ came and died on the cross for the sins of the world.

Do you believe that God is sovereign and that His will is better for your life? I know that my life parallels the journey of the Israelites because I constantly finding myself prone to wander away form God. I am thankful that I am completely helpless in this struggle. I know that God has given me a hope that is greater than anything I could hope to attain to in my own strength. The Hope that is Jesus Christ is the only way that I will find true satisfaction in my life. The story in Numbers is a signpost pointing to the only way to find true satisfaction. I know that disbelief will cloud the way at times but God is faithful and he will bring me through any valley that seems greater than what I may be able to overcome.

– Numbers 10:35

The Israelites are setting out in Numbers chapter 10 to claim the land that God had promised Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. What an amazing site it must have been to hear the ring of a silver trumpet and then the orchestration of the multiple millions began as the Israelites set out and follow God. The image that is given in Numbers chapters 9 and 10 is one of dependance. The only time that the Israelites moved the camp was when God raised the cloud up from the Tabernacle.

I have never looked at the journey of the Israelites in such a structured way. I had thought that when the Israelites moved about in the wilderness that it was more of a random wandering. It was truthfully a relationship that was one of a Father leading His children.

Before the departure of the Israelites they celebrated the Passover on the fourteenth day of the first month two years after their departure from Egypt. It was their time to remember what God had done in delivering them from their bondage in Egypt. I think that the passover was a passionate time of remembrance because in Numbers 9:6-10 God gives instruction for people who become unclean because of a dead person. These men wanted to bring their offering to the Lord but they were unclean. This is contrasted to a man who is clean and doesn’t observe the Passover. The clean man will be cut off from his people. The Passover celebration seems a little foreign to me today. What significance does it hold for the church today? I think the Passover is a marker that points me to Jesus Christ and His ultimate sacrifice on the cross. There is a lot of foreshadowing of the Messiah in the story of the Israelites freedom from their bondage. Just as the Egyptians held the Israelites in bondage so too my sin held me in bondage. I was under the wrath of God for the sins that I committed. There was not way for me to find freedom until Jesus Christ died on the cross. His blood is the lambs blood placed upon me just as the blood was places on the lintel and doorposts of the Israelites. I am very thankful for the provision that God blessed the world with through the death of Jesus Christ.

In chapter 10 God instructs Moses to create two trumpets of silver which were blown at various and different times such as when the Israelites were heading to war so that “[they] may be remembered before the Lord [their] God, and be saved from your enemies” Numbers 10:9b. I see many similarities in my daily life to the blowing of these trumpets. These trumpets blown for feast, assembly, and war were an integral part of the Israelites daily lives. I look upon these trumpets as one way that the Israelites were communicating and showing dependance on God. My trumpet is prayer. When I go to God in prayer it is my reaching out seeking to be remembered by God and seeking assistance. Seeing how much just a trumpet played a role for a nation I am convinced that my prayer life is even of greater importance.

Lord, I pray that you will instill a desire to include you in all areas of my life and that I will seek you in prayer. This journey I am on is one where I am following you and unsure where I am headed but I trust that you are faithful. I am thankful for your help.

Then the story in Numbers gets even more incredible. Moses enters the tent of meeting and God speaks with him from above the mercy seat between the two cherubim upon the Ark of the Testimony. How did Moses feel by now? He had spoken with God frequently and most notably at a burning bush. I don’t know if I could ever take it lightly to come before God’s presence. It makes me look upon my own life and how I approach God. Do I come to God in prayer with awe and wonder? Do I thirst for time in His presence?

Numbers chapter 8 we have all of the Levites cleansed and taken into the service of the Tabernacle. The Levites were presented as a wave offering before the Lord from the Israelites. The Israelites were instructed to place their hands upon the Levites. This must have been an incredibly solemn and personal moment between the Israelites and the Levites. It was no animal that was being offered to God it was the Levites being presented to be worthy of service. It is interesting looking back at the laws laid down in Leviticus about sacrifices. When an offering was made it became holy and the possession of the priests and used by God. The Levites were given as a gift from God to Aaron and his sons to perform service. I do not know if I can convey my amazement about how this truly amazes me. The Levites were an offering! Not and offering like the pagans who offered people as blood sacrifices these Levites were set apart in service to God. Looking forward to the promised Messiah, Jesus Christ, He also served humanity in love by dying on the cross.

I am throughly enjoying taking this time to read through the Bible and blog about it as I read. I pray that you too find this an encouragement and may you be spurred to know God in a more personal way through reading through the Bible.

Towards the end of Numbers chapter 3 God redeems the first-born males of men and animal of the people of Israel. In Exodus God kills the first-born of Egypt. In that act of deliverance God “sanctified to [Himself] all the first-born in Israel.” Numbers 3:13b When God redeems the first-born He takes the Levites and their animals as a substitutes of the first-born of Israel and their animals. This action by God parallels my redemption by Jesus Christ. I was found to be lacking because of my sin and Jesus Christ bore all of the sin upon Himself when He died on the cross. It makes me feel so humbled to think of all the sins Christ bore freely for me. I am very thankful for that. It is such an amazing story to see that the Levitical redemption started with God using the Levites to redeem the first-born of Israel and He finished with Jesus the High Priest redeeming me.

In Numbers 1 you are given a size of the Israelite community with the census numbers given of all the men of age to fight. The total number of men was 603,550, that is a lot of people. If you think that each man most likely is married and may have a child or two so if you multiply that number conservatively by 3 you would get 1.8 million people. That is a lot of people that are all traveling together. In the end of Numbers 1 I found a most amazing foreshadowing of who Jesus Christ is amongst all the details about how the Israelite camp was to be set up. In verse 53 it states that the Levites are to camp around the tabernacle between the people and God’s anger. This picture is a representation of who Jesus Christ is because he is the high priest who stands between the wrath of God and us. When God looks upon me He sees Jesus and the sacrifice that was made upon the cross and God’s wrath passes.

I am encouraged by how all of scripture is an encouragement to daily living to christians today. We only need to slow down enough to see the truths that God has given us. As I continue in my journey to blog my way through the Bible I know that God will reveal Himself to me through all of His scripture.

Lord,

Open these eyes to see your glory. I sit in the torrent of life and I feel beaten and bruised by all the concerns of life. Oh how easy it is to get consumed with the swirling waters around me and not focus on you. Open my heart, mind, and soul as I read Leviticus 17 and 18 today Lord. I need your help to heal my heart. I submit to you now and forever, Amen.

Throughout Leviticus I am constantly reminded about how inadequate humanity is inherently. In chapter 17 God commands the people of Israel to stop sacrificing animals to other gods like the people of Egypt. People needed to bring their offering to the tabernacle to sacrifice to God as a peace offering. In chapter 18 God restates some of the 10 commandments in greater detail regarding how people can relate to each other. After reading these two chapters I feel saddened and a little depressed. I look at the Israelites and I see a picture of myself. The methods, customs and times have changed but I am living in my own Egypt. What I mean by this is that I am living in a fast food, sex saturated, and evil world where I am routinely told in my face and subtlety to give in to the desires of human passion and live life as the natives do. In Leviticus when God makes these commands for the people of Israel I imagine that there are quite a few people who are living in the midst of these sins that God is calling people out on. There is a crisis moment that each of these people had to address where the choice to turn to or away from God was made. That same crisis moment is faced by everyone today. Do I trust God or myself? I am so thankful that God loved me enough to sweetly draw me in to fellowship with Him.

What does it mean when I find myself becoming weary along my journey with God? Why does it happen? Thankfully the truth that I am unable to lose my relationship with God. The story that Paul unfolds throughout Romans lifts us up upon the truth that we are helpless apart from God and the crescendo culminates in this wonderful truth.

But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord

Romans 8:37-39 NASB

Such amazing power, assurance, and peace is contained in these 3 verses! My death or life will not separate me from my God. Angels or demons cannot separate me from my God. No government can separate me from my God. The happenings of today or tomorrow will never separate me from my God. There exists no power that will separate me from my God. My highs and lows in life will not separate me from my God. Just to make it clear nothing that has or will ever be created by God will separate me from Him. Why is that? Jesus Christ, the Expression of God’s Love, paid the penalty for my sin. Jesus’ payment means I can live in free fellowship with God. Can you say today that you can live a life of freedom in Christ?

In chapter 16 God commands Moses to instruct Aaron to make atonement for the defiling of the tabernacle by his son’s. What was on Aaron’s mind, he has lost his son’s and now he had to go before God. Was he scared? I think it is interesting how there are two goats used to make atonement one which is sacrificed to God and the other is a scapegoat.

The [scapegoat] shall shall bear on itself all the iniquities to a solitary land…

Leviticus 16:22a

Jesus is my scapegoat. How or why Jesus willingly died for me boggles my mind. I am so very thankful for His gift.

At this point God has occupied the tabernacle with a cloud by day and fire by night. What a sight that would have been to see. The splendor of the whole tabernacle would have been overshadowed by the awesome Glory of God. I think it is so amazing to think that God was in the midst of the people of Israel but in truth I have the Holy Spirit within me. How blessed I am in Christ’s resurrection!

Lord help me to see the gift that you have given me in the Holy Spirit! I am so often distracted by life and the pursuit of tomorrow. I am such a poor man and I don’t have the ability to follow you on my own. I feel so lost Lord. How can I do anything apart from you. It sounds so simple to give up my will to follow but I need your strength. All I want to do is wallow in sin Lord and I know that is not what you made me for. Lord help me! Please help me! I can’t do it on my own, help!