Numbers 21 – Numbers 22

What a great reading! There are some wonderful visuals to take away from these two chapters.

First, in Chapter 21, we encounter the grumbling once again. In return, poisonous snakes were sent to the Nation of Israel. The people plead to healing, and Moses is given instructions to make a bronze serpent and put it on a pole. That image shouldn’t be unfamiliar to us, as the medical Caduceus is fashioned in a similar manner.

As we seek medical healing, through our doctors and nurses, little did we probably know that we were recalling the day’s of the Wilderness, and the healing that was provided through Moses and his bronze serpent. At the same time, I also recall Jesus words, “Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up.” (John 3:14) For in Jesus we realize that his death and resurrection provide the ultimate gift of healing that we all of long for!

Then we shift into Chapter 22 and low and behold we fine a talking donkey. Sorry Dreamworks, you weren’t the first to create this. God beat you to it. As Balaam shares conversation with his donkey, his first response is, “you’ve made a fool of me.” Where’s the shock and awe, “Holy Crap, its a talking donkey!” That’s probably how I would have responded.

The true awe inspiring moment is realizing that God is at work within Balaam. Did you catch that? Here is Balaam, an unknown individual, who is able to speak blessings and curses upon people. He is not an Israelite, yet he is known by God and he knows God. We might be lead to believe that God is solely working in and through the Israelites. This is a key reminder that God works through all people, and we are known by God, and that God can use each and every one of us! This is especially true for Balaam, as he was initially hired by Balak to curse the Israelites, yet, with the donkey’s kind reminder, Balaam can now only speak blessing after blessing on God’s people. We’ll see that a bit more as we keep reading.

Peace,
Pastor Bailey

Our next reading: Numbers 23 – 25

Numbers 18 – Numbers 20

Yeah! We made it to day 50! Still hanging in there with me?? Great cause for celebration . . . for us . . . but not so much for Moses and Aaron.

These two chapters seem to be a tough break for both of our faithful leaders. I don’t know if you knew it, going into this Year of Scripture, (I did, but I expected a little more drama to the story) but Moses and Aaron, they never see the Promise Land. How sad!

I do feel for Moses. He seems to get shorted on this on. Although God does say, “Speak to the Rock.” What does Moses do? He strikes it with his staff. Maybe it was an oversight? Maybe it was a misunderstanding? Maybe it was knowing the staff thing worked once before? Either way, I get the fact that Moses didn’t follow God’s instructions, but banishment from seeing the Promised Land seems a bit harsh. After all, they wouldn’t have gotten this far if it wasn’t for Moses’ faithful leadership. Add to that, they would be in Jericho by now if the people would have had faith enough. So on Moses’ behalf, in my opinion, you were so faithful . . . you still should have been reward.

Then there is Aaron. My wife asked, “Did he die because he was in trouble? Or was he just old?” I’m going to have to go with the “old” part for the simple answer. Although, based on his antics at the foot of Mount Sinai, he should have been punished long ago. (See Day 28) Aaron’s death seems just and deserved ending before we enter the Promised Land.

Yet, we aren’t there, in fact we aren’t any where close. We still forty years of wander to go before we cross the River Jordan. So, for now lets keep reading on!

Peace,
Pastor Bailey

Our next reading: Numbers 21 -22

Numbers 16 – Numbers 17

The people complain. The people revolt. There is bloodshed and lives lost. All over the power of God given and revealed through Moses and Aaron.

The questions might be raised. Who gives you this authority? How is it shown to us?

The answer. God does, and God’s power is revealed through many mysterious ways, including Aaron’s staff. It’s not the first time Moses’ or Aaron’s staff has been used. In fact, Exodus was full of references to either of them. The graph above gives us a quick reminder. But of course, one image can’t even begin to depict the splendor that Moses must have seen as he walked into the Tabernacle to find a dead piece of wood, sprouting to bud, and bearing fruit. Indeed, God is good!

Peace,
Pastor Bailey

Our next reading: Numbers 18 – 20

Numbers 14 – Numbers 15

As I live, and as all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the LORD – none of the people who have seen my glory and the signs that I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and yet have tested me these ten times and have not obeyed my voice, shall see the land that I swore to give to their ancestors.
(Numbers 14:21-23a)

With that, everything changes. the rescue mission from Egypt, now takes a swift turn to forty years of wandering in the desert. All because they lacked faith enough to believe that God would lead, guide, and safely direct them into the land of milk and honey. It was all there, in plain sight for all to see. But, the faith and trust of the Israelites, it just wasn’t strong enough.

Perhaps with wrath . . . perhaps with lament . . . God speaks . . .
“None of you shall see the land that I swore to give to your ancestors.”

Now a new journey begins. Forty years of wandering. Forty years of being tested. Forty years of waiting for a place to call home.

Peace,
Pastor Bailey

Our next reading: Numbers 16 – 17

Numbers 8 – Numbers 10
Numbers 11 – Numbers 13

The trip to the Promise Land begins . . . and so does the grumbling. Or, so I should say, the trip to the Promised Land resumes . . . and the the grumbling continues.

We’ve read through he book of Leviticus, and perhaps forgot that our friends, the Isrealites, have been on a journey out of Egypt to the a land flowing with milk and honey. We’ve spent so long focusing on life in and around the Priest and the Tabernacle, that we might forgotten there is a destination in mind for this great crowd of people. Now, the journey resumes, as the cloud of smoke lifts off of the Tabernacle, God guides and directs the travels of the people.

Sometimes they would travel for a day.
Sometimes they would set up camp for days on end.

Lets not forget, this wouldn’t have been an easy process. 1.5 million people, living in tents, herding flocks, traveling with everything they have. Not easy. Add to that the Tabernacle. Every time they moved, each post, beam, curtain, pot, utensil, lamp-stand, altar and Ark of the Covenant had to be moved.

Sometimes only to be set up for a day.
Sometimes to be set up for weeks on end.
But always without notice.
Always as God’s cloud of fire and smoke directed.

Having moved nine times in my 17 years of ministry, I can understand the stress the Israelites must have been under! No wonder they complained! As they complain, what is the one thing they complain about . . . food. “Give us meat to eat!”, they cry out. God responds by providing quail along with another one of my favorite scripture passages:

“You shall eat not only one day, or two days, or five days, or ten days, or twenty days,but for a whole month—until it comes out of your nostrils and becomes loathsome to you!”

Good stuff! Quail (very tasty if you’ve never had it) bleeding out of your nose. Yummy!

Finally, after a long journey, the Promised Land is in view, but we aren’t ready to inherit it yet because . . . God won’t protect us over these giants. Oh, you of little of faith.

Peace,
Pastor Bailey

Our next reading: Numbers 14 – 15

Numbers 7

That was one heck of a party! Twelve days of sacrifices! Twelve days of feasting! For each day:

• One young bull
• One ram
• One lamb
• One goat

All of these were sacrificed in thanksgiving or as a sin offering.

Then there was more:

• Two oxen
• Five rams
• Five goats
• Five lambs

All of these were offered as a Fellowship Offering. Which, if we remember back to our readings in Leviticus, these were presented at the Tabernacle and then returned to the family (or in this case the entire tribe) for a family celebration.

All in all, as the Tabernacle is dedicated, there was one heck of a party!

Party on!
Pastor Bailey

Our next reading: Numbers 8-10

Numbers 5 – Numbers 6

Women are set apart . . . men are set apart . . . but for very different reasons.

Ladies, chapter 5:11-31, doesn’t seem very fair to you. It reminds us of the place and stature of women in the day and time. Then you were just one notch above being a servant/slave. We’ve come a long way, but we have a long way to go! All I could think of as the women accused of adultery is placed before the priest and made to drink the bitter water, was painting a giant red “A” on her so that everyone would know what had happened. Innocent or guilty, you still had to go through the same humiliating act, and I would imagine you would be labeled regardless of the outcome. And the consequence for the man involved . . . never mentioned. Go figure!

Then, as we turn to chapter 6, men, and occasionally women, are set apart as a Nazirite, a servant for God. Some individuals we will meet along our year of reading that might be a bit more familiar to us would include Samson, Samuel, and John the Baptist. Part of your vow was not cutting your hair, not drinking or eating anything grape related, and avoiding death. I know they seem odd, but think of the purity spoke in Leviticus. That was the goal/task in taking on the vow of a Nazirite.

Then of course we close chapter 7 with familiar words. Words I speak nearly every Sunday. Words that speak for themselves. So hear them from me spoken to you:

My the LORD bless you and keep you;
May the LORD make his face to shine upon you,
and be gracious to you;
May the LORD lift his countenance upon you,
and give you peace!

Happy Valentines!
Pastor Bailey

Our next reading: Numbers 7

Numbers 3 – Numbers 4

You can tell, I’m not reading ahead, can’t you. I trusted the fact that the Levites weren’t counted in the first two chapters, and then, low and behold, they are numbered in chapter 3. Whoops! Either way, we are still looking at 1.5 million people living in the wilderness. That’s a lot of people that could lead to some very disorganized living. So God gives Moses this divine plan. Some live on the north, south, east, and west of the Tabernacle. Some live on the inner circle near the Tabernacle. All in all, it might have looked something like this:

Also, did you notice one of the key differences in the numbering? For all the other tribes you were counted if you were twelve years old or older. For the Levites, you were counted if you were one month old or older. Why the difference? One is set apart for battle. One is set apart for worship. Proves you are never too young, and never too old to worship the LORD!

Peace,
Pastor Bailey

Our next reading: Numbers 5 – 6

Numbers 1 – Numbers 2

1 . . .
2 . . .
3 . . .
4 . . .
5 . . .
6 . . .
7 . . .
8 . . .
9 . . .
603,550!

That’s a a lot of people!! As the Book of Numbers begins, a census of Israel is taken, counted by tribe, and numbered. Six hundred and three thousand, five hundred and fifty. , but wait there more. Women and children, they weren’t counted. The Tribe of Levi wasn’t counted. All in all, the Nation of Israel could have been close to 1.5 million people. That’s a lot of people!!

1.5 million people who exited Egypt!
1.5 million people who crossed the Red Sea!
1.5 million people gathered to give witness and praise to God!
1.5 million people now traveling in the wilderness!

Would there be chaos? You bet! Will there be grumbling? We’ve seen some already, and we will certainly see more! We will see faith in action? Absolutely! The book of Numbers will share the story of all of that and more. I’m looking forward to sharing it with you!

Peace,
Pastor Bailey

Our next reading: Numbers 3-4.

Leviticus 26 – Leviticus 27

I will be honest, I was a little bit disappointed in the ending of Leviticus. I guess I was hoping for a little bit more story to go with it. If you’ve been reading along, you’ve realized we didn’t get that. In fact, I had to look back to the very first verse to remember how it all started:

“The LORD summoned Moses and spoke to him from the tent of meeting, saying: ‘Speak to the people of Israel and say to them . . . ‘”
(Leviticus 1:1)

Not much of an introduction was there? From the very first verse, we quickly go into the laws and ordinances that God was giving. In the end, there doesn’t seem much of a need for a conclusion either. For what we get, is just about as simple as it all started:

“These are the commandments that the LORD gave to Moses for the people of Israel on Mount Sinai.”
(Leviticus 27: 34)

With that, we close yet another book. Three down and sixty-three to go!

Peace,
Pastor Bailey

Our next reading: Numbers 1-2