March 3, 2012

Moses Struck the Rock (3/3)

Thought from today’s Bible reading from Numbers 18-20.

On this particular occasion when the Israelites complained as they usually did, God provided for them, but punished Moses.

“And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ‘Take the rod; and you and your brother Aaron assemble the congregation and speak to the rock before their eyes, that it may yield its water. You shall thus bring forth water for them out of the rock and let the congregation and their beasts drink.’

“So Moses took the rod from before the Lord, just as He had commanded him; and Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly before the rock. And he said to them, ‘Listen now, you rebels; shall we bring forth water for you out of this rock?’ Then Moses lifted up his hand and struck the rock twice with his rod; and water came forth abundantly, and the congregation and their beasts drank.

“But the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, ‘Because you have not believed Me, to treat Me as holy in the sight of the sons is Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them’” (Numbers 20:7-12).

God gave Moses a simple instruction: speak to the rock. Yet Moses struck the rock instead. The end result was the same – the people received water – but Moses’ actions were still condemned.
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February 27, 2012

"Wait, and I Will Listen to What the Lord Will Command" (2/27)

Thought from today’s Bible reading from Numbers 8-10.

When the time came for the Israelites to observe the Passover, a few of them were unable to observe it. They questioned Moses as to what they could do:

“But there were some men who were unclean because of the dead person, so that they could not observe Passover on that day; so they came before Moses and Aaron on that day. Those men said to him, ‘Though we are unclean because of the dead person, why are we restrained from presenting the offering of the Lord at its appointed time among the sons of Israel?’ Moses therefore said to them, ‘Wait, and I will listen to what the Lord will command concerning you’” (Numbers 9:6-8).

The Lord then revealed to Moses a provision for those who were unable to observe the Passover at the appointed time (Numbers 9:9-12). This was not to be used as a loophole for those were able to observe but neglected it (Numbers 9:13). But God made an exception for those who were unclean or away on a journey.

What I want us to notice here is not the exception, but Moses’ reply to these men when they questioned him about what they could do in this situation.
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February 24, 2012

"From a Month Old and Upward" (2/24)

Thought from today’s Bible reading from Numbers 3-4.

In the previous reading, we noticed that the men of Israel, “from twenty years old and upward, whoever is able to go out to war” (Numbers 1:3), were to be numbered. The exception to this was the tribe of Levi because they had a special duty to perform for the Lord (Numbers 1:49-50).

However, when we get to chapter 3, we find instructions given regarding the numbering of the Levites:

“Number the sons of Levi by their fathers’ households, by their families; every male from a month old and upward you shall number” (Numbers 3:15).

Instead of numbering the males who were twenty years old and upward, as was done with the rest of the tribes, the Lord wanted the Levites to be counted beginning at one month old.

Furthermore, instead of being counted for war, the Levites were set apart and counted for a spiritual work.
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February 23, 2012

Things That Are More Valuable Than Gold

Gold

In our troubled and uncertain economy, gold is seen by many people as a wise investment. We certainly want to be good stewards of the blessings we have received (cf. Matthew 25:14-30). This could lead us to obtain gold. Yet we must remember two points. First, even a “safe” investment like gold is uncertain (cf. 1 Timothy 6:17). Second, as we will focus on in this article, there are some things that will always be more valuable than gold, regardless of how much this precious metal is worth in relation to our nation’s currency.
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February 23, 2012

The Levites Were Not to be Numbered (2/23)

Thought from today’s Bible reading from Numbers 1-2.

The book of Numbers begins with a census being taken of certain ones from among the people: “From twenty years old and upward, whoever is able to go out to war in Israel, you and Aaron shall number them by their armies” (Numbers 1:3). But those of one particular tribe were exempted.

“The Levites, however, were not numbered among them by their fathers’ tribe. For the Lord had spoken to Moses, saying, ‘Only the tribe of Levi you shall not number, nor shall you take their census among the sons of Israel. But you shall appoint the Levites over the tabernacle of the testimony, and over all its furnishings and over all that belongs to it. They shall carry the tabernacle and all its furnishings, and they shall take care of it; they shall also camp around the tabernacle” (Numbers 1:47-50).

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February 22, 2012

Consequences of Obedience and Disobedience (2/22)

Thought from today’s Bible reading from Leviticus 26-27.

Leviticus 26 outlines certain blessings and curses the Israelites could receive from God. Whether they received the one or the other would be conditioned upon their actions.

“If you walk in My statutes and keep My commandments so as to carry them out…” (Leviticus 26:3).

If the Israelites obeyed God, He promised to bless them greatly with prosperity, peace, freedom, and fellowship with God (Leviticus 26:4-13).
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February 18, 2012

"You Shall Keep My Statutes" (2/18)

Thought from today’s Bible reading from Leviticus 16-18.

As God gave His Law to Moses to pass down to the people, He explained how the people were to conduct themselves compared to the other nations.

“You shall not do what is done in the land of Egypt where you lived, nor are you to do what is done in the land of Canaan where I am bringing you; you shall not walk in their statutes. You are to perform My judgments and keep My statutes, to live in accord with them; I am the Lord your God. So you shall keep My statutes and My judgments, by which a man may live if he does them; I am the Lord” (Leviticus 18:3-5).

There are a couple lessons to be learned from this passage. First, God’s people are obligated to live according to His standard, not the world’s standard. You must follow the Lord, even if those around you do not. Paul writes, “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect” (Romans 12:2).
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