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GOOD MORNING SIBLINGS!
Today’s readings are Numbers 35-36
Click here to read today’s passages on BibleGateway.
Rabbit Trails
We finish Numbers today!
Some of these passages we read today will go on to be quoted by judges and noted historical figures as the reason why two or more witnesses are required to condemn a person for a crime. Much of our judicial system was originally founded on Biblical principles.
It is important to note – and this cannot be stressed enough – that you will often see people in the Bible behaving in ways that YHWH does not sanction. We must be careful to pay attention to the difference between what YHWH says to do versus what people decide to do.
In the Bible we will often see people going against YHWH’s commandments, adding to His commandments, taking away from, or even creating their own ways out of the blue.
Just because we see Believers doing things like this in the Bible does not mean this is sanctioned by YHWH.
Just because we see Believers doing things like this in the world today does not mean this is sanctioned by YHWH.
In fact, we need to pay careful attention to the stories in the Bible in which YHWH’s people disobey Him – and His response. We have seen in our reading that YHWH gives us ample details in order to be able to worship Him as He desires, live Holy according to His instructions, and mature in our faith by following His teachings and wisdom.
When something is done by a key figure in the Bible that does not mean it is automatically a good example – We have to keep our eyes open and diligently study YHWH’s teachings so that we recognize when man is going against Him, rather than treating disobedience as license to replicate that behavior just because it appears in the Scriptures.
A few Key verses to recall in Numbers (by no means an exhaustive list):
The Aaronic Blessing (an excellent blessing to say over your children and loved ones!)
The Lord bless you and keep you;
the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you;
the Lord lift up his countenance[a] upon you and give you peace.
Numbers 6:24-26
And sometimes the cloud remained from evening until morning. And when the cloud lifted in the morning, they set out, or if it continued for a day and a night, when the cloud lifted they set out. Numbers 9:21
YHWH is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it? Numbers 23:19
“One law and one rule shall be for you and for the stranger who sojourns with you.” Numbers 15:16
Then YHWH came down in the cloud and spoke to him, and took some of the Spirit that was on him and put it on the seventy elders. And as soon as the Spirit rested on them, they prophesied. But they did not continue doing it. Numbers 11:25
We have wandered in the dessert. We’ve eaten manna, quail, and gone through two censuses. We’ve learned how the priests are to handle the ark of the Covenant and the Wilderness Tabernacle. We’ve seen where the tribes were instructed to camp and how. We’ve had YHWH guide us by day with a cloud and by night with a fire. We’ve seen rebellion, fast and mass death, Grace, and the Holy Spirit being put into people. A massive group of rag tag individuals have become a cohesive nation under YHWH’s instruction. And now it is time to prepare for the Promised Land.
One additional takeaway not to be missed: God’s love language is obedience – He delights in His children when they obey Him- and details most definitely do matter to Him.
Tomorrow, we begin my favorite book in the whole Bible. Things are about to get even more exciting!
Click here for the Numbers Focus sheet
Click here to view the answer key
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!