Numbers 8:1-26

👉 The Lord spoke to Moses

• v 1, 5, 23

👉 Aaron was to set up the lamps in the tent of meeting.

• light = God’s presence

👉 Preparing the Levites for service

• Moses was to take them from among the people and cleanse them by sprinkling them with the water of purification
• they were to then shave and cleanse themselves and their clothes
• take a grain offering and a sin offering
• bring the Levites before the tent of meeting and gather the whole congregation
• the people shall lay hands on the Levites
• Aaron shall offer the Levites in service to the Lord
• the Levites will belong to the Lord

👉 The Role of the Levites

• to do the service for the people of Israel
• to make atonement for the people of Israel

👉 The Retirement Plan

• age 25-50: the Levites shall come to do the duty in the service of the tent of meeting
• age 50 and up: shall minister by keeping guard but shall do no service

Isn’t it just like God to have it all planned out? I love that there was an age where the Levites stopped doing the work – which made room for the younger generation to serve – but still had a role in honoring the Lord. Rest but still respect.

I love God’s Word.

Numbers 7:1-89

👉 The Lord spoke to Moses

• v 4, 11

👉 As soon as Moses finished setting up and anointing the tabernacle and altar – the tribes brought their offerings.

• Day 1 – Judah
• Day 2 – Issachar
• Day 3 – Zebulun
• Day 4 – Reuben
• Day 5 – Simeon
• Day 6 – Gad
• Day 7 – Ephraim
• Day 8 – Manasseh
• Day 9 – Benjamin
• Day 10 – Dan
• Day 11 – Asher
• Day 12 – Naphtali

👉 The Offering

• one silver plate and basin – full of fine flour
• one golden dish – full of incense
• one bull, ram, and lamb – burnt offering
• one goat – sin offering
• two oxen, five rams, five goats, and five lambs – peace offering

👉 My Two Takeaways

1. I love that every tribe – regardless of size, ability, or history – made the same offering. They all had to come to God the same way. It’s the same for us today. We all must come to God the same way – through Jesus.
2. Have you ever tried to speak to someone and they ignored you? Gave you the cold shoulder? Made you feel not worth their time?

I love verse 89.

When Moses went into the tent of meeting to speak with the Lord – do you know what happened – he heard the voice of the Lord speaking to him.

The Lord always wants to talk to us. He always has time for us. He’s always interested in what we have to say. He’s never too busy for us. Never too preoccupied.

No matter what time of day or night you want to talk to the Lord – you always catch him at the right time. 😉

You are loved.

Numbers 6:1-27

👉 The Lord spoke to Moses

• v 1, 22

👉 The Nazarite Vow

• a special vow one made to separate themselves unto the Lord for a specific period of time
• the person could have no wine or strong drink
• no grapes, fresh or dried
• could eat nothing produced by the grapevine
• no razor could touch the persons head, his/her hair had to grow long the entire time of separation
• shall not go near a dead body, even if it was a family member
• if someone suddenly died next to the person who had taken the nazarite vow and made that person unclean – he/she must shave their head, make the appropriate offering, and begin the period of separation again

As I read this chapter this morning, I was struck by the kindness of God. If someone made this vow and – through contact with the dead became unclean – it wasn’t “game over” for them. It was “begin again.”

So often – as we follow Christ – we fall short of who he has called us to be – we fail to honor him with our words, actions, or attitudes.

It can be disheartening when we realize what we’ve done.

I’m so thankful that the Lord doesn’t leave us there. That he doesn’t say “game over”. Instead, he says, “begin again.”

Confess.

Repent.

Begin again.

and again.

and again.

That is the kindness of God.

👉 Aaron’s Blessing

One of my favorite prayers in the Bible – and so special knowing that the Lord gave these words to Aaron to pray over the people of Israel.

God said, “Pray this over my people.”

And, so, I pray it over each of you this morning.

Whatever you are facing today.

Whatever sin the enemy is trying to shame you with.

Whatever old wound is causing fresh pain.

Whatever trial awaits you around the bend.

Whatever this day holds for you.

May the Lord bless you – provide for you.

May the Lord keep you – protect you.

May the Lord make his face shine upon you – give you favor.

May the Lord be gracious to you – give you more than you deserve.

May the Lord lift up his face upon you – take notice of you.

May the Lord give you peace – his perfect peace.

You are loved.

Numbers 5:1-31

👉 The Lord is still speaking to Moses.

• v 1, 5, 11

👉 Some Camp Rules

1. The unclean remain outside of camp.

• leprous
• those with a discharge
• any who come in contact w/ the dead

1. There is a process for those who have wronged others.

• confession
• restitution

1. What is to be done with a woman thought to have committed adultery?

• she is to be brought before the priest
• husband will offer appropriate offering
• she will drink bitter water
• the drinking of the water (and her response) will reveal her guilt or innocence

👉 There is something comforting about the orderliness of God.

The people knew how to set up camp. They knew how to approach him for worship. They knew what to do with the unclean. They were given a process for confession and reconciliation among neighbors. And they were given steps to take when dealing with issues within a marriage.

It’s a reminder that God’s Word has something to say about any issue we may deal with in our lives. Ancient wisdom is still applicable to contemporary issues.

You are loved. ♥️

Numbers 4:1-49

👉 The Lord continued to speak to Moses (and Aaron).

v 1, 17, 21

👉 The Levites were given the responsibility of transporting everything related to the tent of meeting.

The tasks were divided among the tribes of the sons of Levi: Kohath, Gershon, and Merari.

Sons of Kohath:

• responsible for the most holy things
• Aaron and his sons would put the most holy things on carrying frames
• sons of Kohath were to carry the things but not touch or look on them even for a moment

Sons of Gershon

• were to carry the curtains, screens, hangings,cord, all equipment
• under the direction of Aaron’s son, Ithamar

Sons of Merari

• were to carry the frame of the tabernacle with its bars, pillars, bases
• were to carry the pillars from around the court, all the equipment and accessories
• under the direction of Ithamar

👉 There were 8,580 Levite men between the ages of 30 and 50. These were the men responsible for carrying everything related to God’s dwelling place any time the people of Israel moved camp.

Each man (v 49) was given his task of serving or carrying.

♥️ They were assigned the “service of ministry and the service of bearing burdens.”

I couldn’t help but think that – as God’s chosen and set apart people today – this is also our assigned task.

Serving.

Carrying.

Ministry.

Bearing burdens.

Just something to meditate on as we go about our Mondays. ♥️

You are loved.