GOOD MORNING SIBLINGS!
Today’s readings are Numbers 26-27
Click here to read today’s passages on BibleGateway.
Debbie Ingle is still standing in for me while I get ahead on other Bible notes, thank you, Debbie!
Debbie’s Rabbits
Numbers 26 can be one of those chapters that we used to want to breeze through…that is until we learned to dive into The Word deeply. It is the ledger of another census of all the males 20 years old and up. Do you recall that the book of Numbers opened with such a census? If you do some comparing, you will notice that there have been some changes in numbers.
For example…check out Simeon’s numbers in Numbers 1: 22-23, and check them out now.
Yep…Simeon has lost 37,100 men.
Is this significant? (Spoiler: I think every detail in The Word is significant. I don’t always understand the significance, but I respect it).
Keep reading Numbers 26:52-56 tells us that The Land is to be divided according to the census number. Looks like Simeon’s land potential is pretty small. As a matter of fact, Simeon at 22,200 and Levi at 23,000 are the smallest of the tribes. (Levi is unique in that he is counted from one month and older…so he is really even smaller than Simeon…but we already know Levi will not inherit land, but something much better).
Does this surprise us? Well…let’s turn back a few pages to Genesis 49:7 — You may recall that Simeon and Levi received what I will call a “backhanded blessing” from Jacob, “I will scatter them in Israel.”
Levi was scattered, but in a redeemed way. Recall that he stepped up after the incident of the golden calf and was rewarded. Exodus 32:26
We see that Simeon, too, has been scattered, but we don’t read such a shining report of him.
Other tribal numbers fluctuated, too. You may enjoy jumping into that rabbit trail today, but I highly recommend using a calculator if you do.
The final words of Numbers 26 tell us that YHVH means business. We learn that all but 2 of those individuals 20 years and older during the time of the “bad report” have died. Time to get excited…it’s almost time for YHVH to deliver His people into His Promised Land!
Numbers 27
Tucked into this ancient book is a little history about some people who are very important to The Father.
Women. The daughters of Zelophehad to be exact.
These women are so important in this history that we are even given their names in Joshua 17:3…fairly uncommon…so that is a big clue of their importance.
How? That may be a rabbit trail for you to chase. You can find more about them Numbers 26; Numbers 36; and Joshua 17. Their unique situation creates a law by which YHVH allows daughters to inherit land. This goes beyond The Father’s kindness to women. I believe that this law needed to be in place for some future bible histories to unroll as The Father planned. Chase that rabbit, or tuck it in your mind for later. We are bible readers, so we will have many opportunities to pass this way again.
We end chapter 27 with the commissioning of Joshua. It is bittersweet, for we know that Moses will be gathered to his people very soon. Notice a few things:
- Moses is concerned about leaving “the sheep” without a “shepherd.” This verbiage connects nicely to Ezekiel 34, Jeremiah 23, John 10, and Matthew 9. We know that Yeshua is the long awaited good shepherd. HallaluYAH!
- Moses established Joshua…gave him his authority. This helped Israel accept Joshua as the new leader.
- If you were looking at “types” in the Word, Moses could be thought of as a “type” of The Father. Joshua could be thought of as a “type” of Yeshua. Another trail to chase.
Test everything, hold tight to what is good.~ 1 Thess 5:21
We are saved by Grace alone: Obedience is not the root of our salvation, it is the fruit!
May YHWH bless the reading of His Word!