Numbers 36: Why Does God Do Things Like This?

"Any daughter who possesses an inheritance from an Israelite tribe must marry someone from the clan of her ancestral tribe, so that each of the Israelites will possess the inheritance of his fathers."

Numbers 36:8

Well, that's not quite the way I would have handled the situation, but then again I've never been one to take the role of governmental leadership...  It certainly solves the problem at hand (the concern that a tribe's inheritance will transfer to another tribe if it's owned by a woman who gets married), but not without creating newer (and in my opinion bigger) problems of its own.

Personally, I would have changed the way that property rights are handled.  Instead of treating the woman's possessions like property of the husband, I would treat both of their possessions as shared between the two.  I understand why this wouldn't have worked in the situation described, though... the people weren't socially ready to accept the idea of women's rights.  I'm very much glad that I didn't live in that society.

This is, again, one of those cases in which it's plain that, while God Himself might be unchanging, He knows that we are and He only gives us what we're prepared to handle.  The most common reason why people explain to me that they don't believe in God is that they can't see how an all-loving God would allow such horrible things as abusive and possessive husbands, sacrifice of innocent animals, divinely sanctioned war, etc.

Ultimately, in situations like these, it's important to note that God is limited by the abilities of the people He's saving, not the other way around.

Question of the Day:

Have you ever wondered why the "Old Testament God" treated people so differently than the "New Testament God" does?  Take a closer look, and you'll see that He actually doesn't...  In both collections of books, He is a merciful Father who redeems any of His children who have run astray as long as they are willing to pay the price for their freedom, which is ultimately repentance.

Prayer of the Day:

Forgive me for all the wrong I have ever done.  Lord, You know my heart and my history better than even I myself know it.  Reach deep within me and extract everything You find that doesn't glorify Your name.  Purify me with Your cleansing fire, and deliver me from evil.  Help me to become a mirror of Your Spirit so that all my actions here on Earth may bring glory to Your name.  Amen.

Numbers 35: The Importance of Prisons

"Command the Israelites to give cities out of their hereditary property for the Levites to live in and pastureland around the cities."

Numbers 35:2

Six cities are to be a refuge for murderers, and forty two are to be cities for the Levites to live in.

From what I read here, it looks like those first six are sort-of like prison camps, where people live while they await a trial.  The majority of this chapter describes how judgement should be passed in certain circumstances, such as malicious intent or accidental dismemberment.

One of the topics in the judgement section is the importance of multiple witnesses.  Proof, beyond all doubt, is vital before allowing an accused murderer to be killed.  As we know in our own society, a man should be treated as innocent until he is proven guilty.

Question of the Day:

Have you ever been wrongly accused of something, and then evidence turned up later which proved your innocence?  Have you ever accused someone else of something without proof, and they were later proven to be innocent?

Prayer of the Day:

Lord, prevent me from judging others for any of their actions, for only You know their hearts truly.  Do not let me accuse others of wrongdoing, especially when I myself am every bit as guilty of sinning against You.  Give me a heart of acceptance and a spirit of compassion, and help me to forgive others as easily as You forgive me.  Amen.

Numbers 34: More Pre-War Instructions

"These are the names of the men who are to distribute the land as an inheritance for you: Eleazar the priest and Joshua son of Nun.  Take one leader from each tribe to distribute the land."

Numbers 34:17-18

The Lord instructs Moses to select one leader from each tribe to work together as a sort of committee for determining how the land should be distributed.  However, the land is not to be distributed evenly between the tribes, but rather it is to be distributed evenly among the people (larger tribes get more land because they have more people).

It interests me that they are dividing up the spoils of war before the war has even begun.  Normally, you would expect to see these kinds of deals being made after a thorough value assessment of everything conquered.  I guess that doing this beforehand would help to prevent looting and other distractions during battle.

Question of the Day:

Have you ever counted your chickens before they hatched, counted your blessings before they were yours?  How did that turn out for you?

Prayer of the Day:

Lord, help me to appreciate the blessings that I do have so that I don't dwell on the ones that I expect but don't receive.  Fill me with the simple joy that comes from knowing You are my God.  Amen.

Numbers 33: Pre-War Instructions

"Tell the Israelites: When you cross the Jordan into the land of Canaan, you must drive out all the inhabitants of the land before you, destroy all their stone images and cast images, and demolish all their high places."

Numbers 33:51-52

The Israelites have moved from Midian to the Jordan River, stopping only long enough to celebrate the Passover and to bury the high priest Aaron, who died on the journey.  As they prepare to cross the river and enter the land of Canaan, they receive final instructions from the Lord.  The Lord warns that, if His instructions are not followed completely, His wrath will turn on them instead of on the Canaanites.  

Question of the Day:

When was the last time you failed to follow God's instructions completely?  What were the consequences?

Prayer of the Day:

Guide me with specific instructions, and give me the strength to carry them out.  Forgive me for my failures and shortcomings.  Lift me up so that I may bring glory to You through my worship.  Prepare me for the spiritual battles I will face each day, and bring me through them victoriously.  Amen.

Numbers 32: Protecting the Flocks

"Why are you discouraging the Israelites from crossing into the land the Lord has given them?"

Numbers 32:7

After destroying Midian, some men from the tribes of Reuben and Gad asked Moses for permission to build settlements in that land, because it was good for livestock.  Moses asked them why they would let their brothers go to war while they stay behind.

The response is one that seemed quite profound to me.  These men wanted to build a fortified town in which to leave their dependents (women and children) and their livestock, where they would be safe from the coming wars.  Meanwhile, the men would arm themselves and continue into battle with the rest of Israel.

Question of the Day:

What steps do you take to protect your loved ones?

Prayer of the Day:

Lord, I have no power to protect my family except for the power You give me through wisdom and insight.  I ask that You would watch over my wife and son, my parents and siblings, my in-laws, and all of our extended families.  Protect us from both physical and emotional harm, but most especially spiritual harm.  Guide us, and keep us safe.  Amen.

Numbers 31: The Lord's Vengeance

"So Moses spoke to the people, 'Equip some of your men for war.  They will go against Midian to inflict the Lord's vengeance.'"

Numbers 31:3

God's reason for taking vengeance against Midian is not mentioned here, but this is part of the land that He promised to the Israelites.  They go to war, and completely eradicate the entire nation.  They kill ever man and every non-virgin woman.  They kill every boy child.  They plunder all livestock and a wealth of other goods.

Question of the Day:

Why does God sanction war of any kind?  Why did the men of Midian deserve death, and why did their virgin women deserve to be taken by men they never knew?  How do murder, rape, and pillage bring glory to God?

Prayer of the Day:

Lord, I am having trouble understanding why You ordered these events to take place.  Please enlighten me as I read through Your Word, so that I may not be discouraged by what I read about You.  Amen.

Numbers 30: Honesty vs. Obligation

"When a man makes a vow to the Lord or swears an oath to put himself under an obligation, he must not break his word; he must do whatever he has promised."

Numbers 30:2

This chapter goes to great lengths to describe how a man should keep his word and how a woman should, unless her father/husband prohibits it...  But I think the whole thing is best summed up by Jesus in Matthew 5:37, "But let your word 'yes' be 'yes,' and your 'no' be 'no.'  Anything more than this is from the evil one."

Fancifully sworn obligations and commitments are unnecessary and often cause our downfall.  If we simply speak the truth, then we won't need to be held accountable for our oaths.

Question of the Day:

Have you ever regretted making a promise to someone, even if it was a small or simple one?  How could you have made the situation better?

Prayer of the Day:

Teach me to be honest in all of my words and actions.  Help me avoid unnecessary obligations by not making promises that I can't (or won't) keep.  Deliver me from the evil one so that I may let my "yes" be "yes" and my "no" be "no."  Amen.

Numbers 28-29: Offerings

"Command the Israelites and say to them: Be sure to present to Me at its appointed time My offering and My food as My fire offering, a pleasing aroma to Me."
Numbers 28:2

God reminds His people to give their required offerings.  Specifically, he reminds His people about daily, weekly (Sabbath), and monthly offerings, as well as offerings for Passover and the Festival of Weeks.  Chapter 29 follows with reminders about offerings for New Year's Day, the Day of Atonement, and the Festival of Booths.

The timing of these reminders leads me to believe that He is intending to ensure that His people are spiritually ready to follow Him into battle.  The Israelites are preparing to attack, and begin conquering their Promised Land, but God doesn't want to give that land to His people unless they are pure enough not to defile it.

Question of the Day:

Do you offer yourself daily to the Lord?  Do you take one day per week to slow down and enjoy what God has blessed you with?  Do you celebrate the Lord and the great wonders He has allowed you to experience?

Prayer of the Day:

Father, I offer up Your Son again this morning as my daily sacrifice and to seek atonement for all my wrongdoing.  Lift me up and help me to see and follow Your will for me today, so that I might be worthy of the wonders You have bestowed upon me.  Amen.

Numbers 27: Transferring Power

"Confer some of your authority on him so that the entire Israelite community will obey him."

Numbers 27:20

Moses's time is coming.  Because he was disobedient at the waters in the Wilderness of Zin, the Lord will be taking him before Israel enters the Promised Land.  God shows the land to Moses and tells him to transfer his power to Joshua son of Nun - one of the men who did not rebel after scouting the land of Canaan.

The Lord describes Joshua as "a man who has the Spirit in him" (v18).  In God's view, that makes him worthy to lead Israel.

Question of the Day:

Does the Spirit reside in you?

Prayer of the Day:

Jesus, send Your Spirit to reside within me so that I may become more like You.  Drive out all impurity and make my body a temple to worship You.  Amen.

Numbers 26: Those Who Receive Inheritance

"But among them there was not one of those who had been registered by Moses and Aaron the priest when they registered the Israelites in the Wilderness at Sinai.  For the Lord had said to them that they would all die in the wilderness.  None of them was left except Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun."

Numbers 26:64-65

The only men left from the original census are the two who God said were worthy to enter the Promised Land: the two who had stood firm in their belief that the Lord would deliver it to them, no matter how large or strong the Canaanites appeared.

The others who remained at this point were too young to have been counted at the previous census.  Their fathers had been killed by plague after plague, brought upon themselves by their own foolish desires and their Godless ways.  Or in some cases, their insistence on bowing to gods other than their own.

These are the men of the new census, the men who will take the land promised by their Lord.  These are what's left of the dwindling nation of Israel.  When they left Israel, there were 603,550 men of age (Exodus 38:26), but a generation later there are only 601,730.  This may seem like a minimal decrease (less than half a percent), but it's significant when you remember that these people did not have birth control and tended to have many children in each family...  One would have expected significant growth - enough so that any decrease seems pretty dramatic.

Question of the Day:

Do you deserve the inheritance promised by the Lord, or have you been caught by disbelief and/or idols?

Prayer of the Day:

Lord, I do believe!  Help my unbelief!  (Mark 9:24)  I pray the prayer of this father because of how faithful You were in answering him.  Answer my prayer the same way.  Drive away the evil which resides within us all, and make us live once again!  Do this so that we may join You in Your inheritance of the Father's Kingdom, and share everlasting life in Your presence.  Amen.

Numbers 25: A Heart of Zeal

"It will be a covenant of perpetual priesthood for him and his descendants, because he was zealous for his God and made atonement for the Israelites."

Numbers 25:13

Following orders is only part of what God desires.  Even more than this, He desires a zealous heart - one who has a fiery energy in pursuing His perfection.  In this case, Phinehas, son of Eleazar, son of Aaron, was filled with the burning wrath of God and put to death one of the men who had brought a plague on Israel by sleeping with a Midianite woman and worshiping her gods.

But zeal does not always come in the form of violence.  A zealous heart for the Lord may come in many forms: an energized preacher, an enthusiastic evangelist, an average man in his fervent study of the Word, etc.

Question of the Day:

What gets you excited about the Lord?  When your heart is filled with zeal, how do your everyday actions change from the norm?

Prayer of the Day:

Bring me back to the state of zeal which I have been in many times before.  Fill my heart with excitement about You and Your Word.  Build within me an altar to You, which will burn perpetually and never stop encouraging me to be zealous.  Amen.

Numbers 24: Nothing of My Own Will

"Balaam answered Balak, 'Didn't I previously tell the messengers you sent me: If Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go against the Lord's command, to do anything good or bad of my own will?  I will say whatever the Lord says.'"

Numbers 24: 12-13

Balak continues to press Balaam into cursing the Israelites, but the oracle blesses Israel a third time.  When Balak becomes Irate, Balaam reminds him of what he has been saying all along: he serves the Lord.  Interestingly, he mentions that he can't do anything at all (not even good things) without being given specific direction from God.

God does not call any one person to fix all the world's problems.  He knows better.  He understands how so many of us can have great intentions, but our actions become more harmful than we anticipate because we're not the right person for the job.

Take welfare for example.  The government may have the best intentions when they give my tax dollars to the needy, but in doing so they undermine the church, individual philanthropists, and other organizations who give to and take care of the poor and homeless.  The welfare state also teach citizens to be dependent on the government for every need, which undercuts our personal responsibilities and the joy that comes from being self-sufficient.  It drives our political debates away from the important topics of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.  It drives our tax rates through the roof, taking away the individual's ability to give as he/she sees fit.

Question of the Day:

Have you ever done something with good intentions and had it backfire?  Have you ever thought you were doing something good, but it turned out making things worse?  How can you avoid this in the future?  By doing only those things which God calls you to do, and no more - not good or bad.

Prayer of the Day:

Help me to understand Your voice, and Your calling for my life, so that I may do less harm and more good.  Show me when I should act and when I should remain still.  Give me the wisdom to know what all the outcomes of my actions will be before I commit to them, and prevent me from acting in any way that You haven't prepared for me.  Amen.

Numbers 23: God is Not a Man

"God is not a man who lies, or a son of man who changes His mind.  Does He speak and not act, or promise and not fulfill?"

Numbers 23:19

Balak, king of Moab, is still trying to convince the prophet Balaam to curse Israel.  Because he is a man of God, who cannot be bought, Balaam still refuses to go against God's word.  He speaks the words that God puts in his mouth.

The first thing that God instructed Balaam to say about Him was that He is not like a man, that He doesn't change His mind or lie.  He keeps His promises, and He has promised to bless Israel.

Question of the Day:

How often do we put God in our own little box, and tell ourselves (and others) that He wants the same things that we want?  How often do we call on Him to give us things that He hasn't promised us, or that He has promised to others?

Prayer of the Day:

Teach me Your ways so that I may follow You in truth as well as in my verbal claims.  Show me how to live a righteous life, and how to seek Your will in all that I do.  Amen.

Numbers 22: Standing Firm for Truth

"But Balaam responded to the servants of Balak, 'If Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go against the command of the Lord my God to do anything small or great.'"

Numbers 22:18

This is the second time that Balak, son of Zippor, king of Moab, has sent servants to Balaam.  Balak is asking that Balaam curse the Israelites, who are camped in the plains of Moab.  Ultimately, Balak is afraid of the Israelites, but he knows that Balaam speaks with the Lord, and that his blessings and curses become truth.

However, the Lord did not allow Balaam to curse the Israelites, so Balak has sent his men this second time to ask the same question.  Balaam is wise enough to answer that he obeys the Lord, no matter how much money is offered.

Question of the Day:

When was the last time you were tested, being asked a question to which you knew God's answer?  Were you strong enough to stand firm for the truth, or did you fall?  What steps do you take to prepare yourself for these questions, so that you are more able to act righteously?

Prayer of the Day:

Create in me a clean heart, Lord.  Renew a right spirit within me.  Cleanse me of my impurities and force all unclean thoughts out of my mind.  Show me how to use your Word as a shield to deflect the temptations that surround me every day.  Teach me to use your Word as a sword to fight off the spirit of evil which dwells in my flesh.  Take residence in my heart and soul, Immanuel, and give me Your strength, Your wisdom, Your power, Your mercy, Your love.  Amen.

Numbers 21: Learning to Repent

"The people then came to Moses and said, 'We have sinned by speaking against the Lord and against you.  Intercede with the Lord so that He will take the snakes away from us.'  And Moses interceded for the people."

Numbers 21:7

This is the first time the Israelites have recognized and confessed their sins, asking for intercession.  They spoke out against the Lord and Moses for the same reasons they've done so many times in the past: they're tired of the same old manna, tired of living in the wilderness without bread or water.  The Lord sent poisonous snakes into their camps because of these complaints, and the people finally recognized their mistakes.

Moses intercedes, and the Lord has mercy on His people.  He provides the bitten Israelites with a way to cleanse themselves from the poison, if they only have the faith to look where He tells them to.

Question of the Day:

What sins have you been locked into that you fail to recognize and confess?  What will happen to you if you do not confess and repent?

Prayer of the Day:

Father, forgive me, for I have sinned.  Guide me back to You, and lead me away from temptation.  Give me the faith to go where You tell me.  Rescue me from my iniquities.  Amen.

Numbers 20: Why We Choose Mercy

"But the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, 'Because you did not trust Me to show My holiness in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this assembly into the land I have given them.'"

Numbers 20:12

Up until now, Moses and Aaron have always calmly interceded for the Israelites, no matter how rebellious or discontent they became.  Here, Moses and Aaron are ordered to talk to a rock and let God show His glory by making water spring from it.  Instead, the men strike the rock with their staves and denounce the Israelites for their continued disbelief.

This event shows us that God is teaching Moses and Aaron just as much as the rest of the Israelites, if not more.  He is showing them that they were right in the past to stand up for their family members and intercede for each other, but anger against their own brothers is a harmful practice, even if they deserve it.  Mercy.  Patience.  Kindness.  These are important traits in any leader, particularly one who works for the Lord, who shows these traits in His actions towards us.

Question of the Day:

How often do we rebuke our brothers and sisters more harshly than they deserve?  How often do we express our discontent when we ourselves have been shown mercy?

Prayer of the Day:

Teach me to be merciful, patient, and kind, no matter how my brother or sister wrongs me.  Help me love others as You have first loved me.  Grant me the strength to stand for what is right, no matter who attacks or rejects truth.  Be glorified in my actions, and prevent me from acting in any way that does harm to Your holy Name.  Amen.

Numbers 19: Holy Water

"For the purification of the unclean person, they are to take some of the ashes of the burnt sin offering, put them in a jar, and add fresh water to them."

Numbers 19:17

What we normally think of as "holy water" is really just tap water (or filtered, bottled, spring, etc.) which has been blessed by a priest via prayer.  This is a whole different animal from what holy water used to be.  In fact, our current view of holy water isn't actually animal at all, whereas the holy water described above was once a cow, sacrificed and burned to ash as a sin offering.

This original "holy water" actually had significant symbolism, being created from the ashes of the offering which takes the sin away from the people.  This is the literal symbol of the people's spiritual cleanliness.

Question of the Day:

What other literal symbols have been lost in our transition to modern religious practices, but used to bear significant importance to the spiritual goal of cleanliness and purity?

Prayer of the Day:

Thank You for calling me to read through Your Word from cover to cover.  Continue to use this as a means of teaching me about Your character and Your calling for my life.  Amen.

Numbers 18: Chosen of the Chosen

"But also bring your brothers with you from the tribe of Levi, your ancestral tribe, so they may join you and serve with you and your sons in front of the tent of the testimony."
Numbers 18:2

The Levites, the tribe of Aaron, are to be the only people allowed to enter or even touch the tent of meeting.  Of all God's people, the Levites are chosen to essentially be the rulers of Israel.  Their first responsibility: guarding the tent of meeting - the house of God.

Were they chosen because the Levites were better than the rest?  No.  If we look back, we see that the rebels a few chapters ago were led by a Levite (Korah son of Izhar, son of Kohath, son of Levi).  They were chosen because one Levite (Aaron) was better than the rest.

Question of the Day:

Why has the Father called you or me to be part of His chosen family?  Not because of our own holiness, but because His Son, the Holy of Holies, called us His mother and brothers (Mark 3:34).

Prayer of the Day:

Help me to understand my role as a member of the family of Christ.  Help me to keep my first responsibility (the protection of Your testimony) in my heart at all times.  Do not let me act in foolish ways which damage Your testimony which lives within me.  Do not let me open that tent-flap for anyone other than the high priest, Your Son and my Savior.  Amen.

Numbers 17: They Just Don't Understand...

"Anyone who comes near the Lord's tabernacle will die.  Will we all perish?"

Numbers 17:13

The Lord killed a group of rebels with fire, then sent a plague to all who didn't follow His instructions concerning atonement.  Then, He showed the people a sign that He had chosen Aaron as His holy man.  The sign (Aaron's staff, rooting, sprouting, and producing blossoms and almonds) was placed at the front of the tent of meeting, and now the people fear to go anywhere near it.

All of this started because the people didn't trust the Lord's power to deliver the land of Canaan to them from the giants who lived there.  They still don't understand that all of this death by fire and plague could easily have been used as a weapon against the Canaanites, but instead they turned God (their strongest weapon of mass destruction) against themselves by trying to rebuke Him.

Question of the Day:

How often do you stop to think about how the terrors in your life could be directed against your enemies, if only you would ally yourself with the Lord and call his enemies yours.

Prayer of the Day:

Forgive me for breaking my end of our treaty, Lord.  I choose to ally myself with You again today, and thank You for allowing me the chance to come back to You.  Help me to focus on following Your path, and strike down all enemies who stand in the way of Your path.  Amen.

Numbers 16: A Thankless People

"Separate yourselves from this community so I may consume them instantly."

Numbers 16:21

When are these Israelites going to learn?  They keep complaining about all the wonderful things the Lord has done for them!  A group of Levites is rebelling against Moses and Aaron because they are unhappy with the Lord's judgment of His people.

Of course, Moses and Aaron (being good men of God) have compassion on them and ask the Lord to forgive the community of Israel for this latest group transgression, and ultimately He forgave those who followed His instructions.  As for the rebellion, He wiped out the original 250 men with fire and an additional 14,700 were killed by a plague because they refused to seek atonement.

Question of the Day:

If you were the Lord of a people, how much rebellion would you put up with before you started killing off your malcontent subjects?  Personally, I think that God has shown more patience than anyone I know would have...

Prayer of the Day:

Have mercy on me, Lord.  I know that I am deserving of death by Your fire, but I beg You to give me another chance to serve You today.  I give You my thanks for all the blessings You have given me, and I ask that You help me to bless You in return.  Amen.