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Daily Bible Reading
The Israelites had spent an entire year at Mount Sinai. While on the mountain, Israel had received from the Lord - the Covenant, the Ten Commandments, pattern for the Tabernacle, the book of Leviticus, the daily manna, and other unrecorded blessings necessary to sustain life for a “mighty and populous nation.” The Israelites prior to setting out from Mount Sinai, also remembered the Passover and observed it for the second time in their history. Can anyone imagine the emotions of Israel as they partook of the Passover one year removed from Egyptian bondage? The struggles through the wilderness, their complaints, their failures, but still the Lord has sustained their lives and established a covenant with His chosen people.
- Day Fifty One - Numbers 10-11
- “So they moved out for the first time according to the commandment of the Lord through Moses.” - The faithfulness of Israel, at this point, should be imitated in our own daily lives. The Lord gave Israel specific instructions on the movement of the camp. The proper deconstructing of the tabernacle, but how the ark was to guide their paths through the unknown territory. The Lord did not forsake Israel, but rather He took each step with them along the way to Kadesh-Barnea. The Lord traveled with them in the wilderness, despite Israel’s continual complaints and murmurings against Moses and the Lord. The Lord’s anger burned against the rabble who was in the camp of Israel. The rabble is more than likely the mixed multitude who had exited Egypt with the Israelites. Their complaints against the Lord and His miraculous provision of manna was heard and answered abundantly. The Lord not only blessed Israel was an abundance of meat, He gave them meat “until it came out of their nostrils.” The anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel and while the meat was still between their teeth, the Lord struck Israel was a severe plague. This place was called Kibroth-hattaavah, because there they buried the people who had been greedy. The place name means “graves of greediness.” The application for each of us should be self-explanatory.
- Day Fifty Two - Numbers 12-14; Psalm 28
- “Then Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses…” - The sad reality of this chapter is the consequence of pride, especially, in a sibling rivalry. Moses was the youngest of the three siblings. This is not the first time, nor the last, where God used younger siblings and individuals to accomplish tremendous tasks; such as, David, Daniel, Jacob, etc. God choose Moses to serve as the deliverer, leader, and intercessor for Israel. Miriam and Aaron both had pivotal roles in the nation, but they craved more attention and leadership. Their pride was their undoing and Miriam paid the steep price of being stricken with leprosy for a period of seven days. We must learn from their example and not allow our pride/ego to cloud our hearts from achieving the will of God. Instead of discouraging another brother/sister in Christ, may we be sources of great strength and love for all.
- “…We went in to the land where you sent us; and it certainly does flow with milk and honey, and this is its fruit…” - If only those twelve spies would have ended their report at this moment. If only, they would have all agreed that the land may have been fortified and filled with giants, but the Lord was on their side! If only…the sad conclusion of their report was not good news for the nation, but rather it was death sentence for the entire first generation of Israel. Those who had witnessed the ten plagues, crossed the Red Sea, heard the voice of God from Mount Sinai, had been fed daily from the bread of heaven, who were led through the wilderness by God’s presence in the pillar of cloud/fire; ultimately, failed to believe in the power and provision of God. When Moses told Israel the grave consequence for their unbelief and disobedience, it was too late to change the outcome. Our God does not call for us to blindly follow Him, but rather our faith is balanced in the unseen and evidences given to us through the Bible. Our promised land is beyond this life, but only if we are willing to forsake all others to serve the Lord. We must hear, believe, and obey. We must react differently than Israel on this day!
- Day Fifty Three - Numbers 15-16; Psalm 113
- “He took his stand between the dead and the living…” - The Israelites never ceased from complaining and murmuring against Moses and the Lord. Korah, Dathan, and Abiram led a rebellion against Moses and Aaron and their leadership of Israel. They charged Moses and Aaron for bringing Israel into the wilderness to die. While conveniently forgetting that it was their own disobedience/unbelief at the spies’ report that brought them into present condition. Their rebellion was not be tolerated by God, and their entire families were swallowed by the earth. This also once again firmly established God’s choice of Moses as Israel’s deliverer and Aaron as Israel’s high priest. The very next day Israel complained against Moses and Aaron and the Lord set out to consume them. Moses and Aaron made atonement for nation and Aaron took his stand “between the dead and the living.” In this moment, Aaron becomes a shadow of Jesus. Jesus gave His life for atonement of mankind and lives forever to make intercession for them. Jesus stands “between the dead and the living” calling all to come and be saved! Numbers is filled with difficulties and disobedience, but it also contains beautiful pictures of God’s forbearance and forgiveness of Israel.
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