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.

Numbers 3:1-51

👉 Family Tree

Moses’ brother Aaron had four sons:

• Nadab
• Abihu
• Eleazar
• Ithamar

The first two die (Leviticus 10) for offering unauthorized fire before the Lord. We don’t know exactly what this means. What we do know is that the Lord had commanded things to be done a certain way (Exodus 30:9) and Nadab and Abihu apparently thought they knew better.

[How we worship – how we approach God – matters. Jesus reinforced this with his followers in Matthew 5:23-24.]

Aaron – at this point in Scripture – had two living sons: Eleazar and Ithamar. Eleazar was named chief over the chiefs of the Levites. He was in charge over all those who kept guard over the sanctuary.

👉 The Lord Spoke to Moses

• v 5, 11, 14, 40, 44

👉 The Levites

God chose the Levites for himself. They were responsible for every little detail pertaining to the tent of meeting (God’s dwelling place.)

There were men assigned to guard everything from the priests to the ark to the altar to the stone pillars around the property. Not one aspect of the property was overlooked or too small to be guarded.

I imagine – no matter what area someone was called to guard – it was considered a privilege.

Anything we get to do for the Lord is a privilege. And there are no small tasks – no unimportant jobs – only holy ones.

You are loved.

Numbers 2:1-34

👉 Once again, the Lord speaks (v 1). I may just point this out as a reminder to us all every time I see it. Just in case we are tempted to get bogged down or – dare I say it – bored with some of the details of the Old Testament. It’s important to remind ourselves that there is nothing boring about a God who speaks to his people. If our minds are bored – perhaps our hearts are a little off.

👉 Instructions for Setting Up Camp

• the Levites form an inner circle surrounding the tent of meeting
• all camps face the tent of meeting
• on the east: Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun
• on the south: Reuben, Simeon, and Gad
• on the west: Ephraim, Manasseh, and Benjamin
• on the north: Dan, Asher, and Naphtali

👉 Here is what I love about this chapter.

603,550 men plus women and children were in their second year of wilderness wandering. And God spoke order into their existence.

Because don’t you think there could have been some panic taking place? Pandemonium? Power struggles? Personality conflicts?

And God spoke and brought clarity and calm and order. There was no jockeying for position because they each had their God-given assignments.

Each camp faced and was focused on the tent of meeting which was where God dwelled. They were not focused on themselves or each other but him.

When God speaks – it is not confusing (1 Corinthians 14:33).

That thought brought me a great deal of comfort. If I am overwhelmed or confused about what to do – I am likely listening to the wrong voice. Because God is not overwhelmed or confused and he does not speak that way to his people.

Who are you listening to today?

You are loved.

Numbers 1:1-54

Don’t you just love the start of a new book of Scripture?

👉 The opening words of the book of Numbers…

“The Lord spoke to Moses…”

How often have we read those words in Scripture – “The Lord spoke…”?

I can’t help but wonder if we have lost the wonder of it.

The God who spoke creation into existence – the God who spoke to the raging sea – the God who, with a word, called dead men back to life – that same God speaks to his people.

Right there – in the middle of a wilderness – somewhere in between the bondage of Egypt and the blessing of the Promised Land – somewhere in between deliverance and delight – there in the midst of the already but not yet – already in the Kingdom but not yet in glory – right there…The Lord spoke.

👉 He told them to count their men.

No surprise here, right? That the book of Numbers would begin with…numbers.

There are a lot of men over the age of 20 – 603,550 to be exact. These men are evidence of the faithfulness of God who promised Abraham descendants as numerous as the grains of sand.

I also like to think that it was a beautiful reminder – there in the midst of a desert – that God was aware of each individual person. We are not a mass of nameless faces to our Father. He knows us individually and he sees each of us as if we were the only one.

👉 Interesting Information

• Judah was the largest tribe. David and Jesus would come from this line.
• Joseph was given a double portion (Genesis 48:5). So Ephraim and Manasseh are both the tribe of Joseph.
• The tribe of Levi are set apart as priests responsible for the care of the tabernacle and are not counted among the men able to go to war.

This book is going to be good, friends.

You are loved.