Archive for the ‘Numbers’ Category

Day 75: Numbers 30:1-4 — Vows, Pledge, Keeping Our Word

Tuesday, March 16th, 2010

When I was a teenager, we were pretty poor and I would take odd jobs to help my mom. I had an uncle who told me he had a paying job for me. He would pay me by the hour to dig a hole for a septic tank. I grabbed my shovel and went to work. He had paired me together with my cousin (his son) and we worked in the hot sun digging one gigantic hole. He showed up once to check on us and was pleased with the job and offered us a hamburger. We gulped it down and went back to work. At the end of the job, I went to get my pay and he just laughed and laughed at me. He told me I had already been paid with the hamburger he bought me. I was furious, hurt, and disillusioned, but I learned a great lesson that day. People break their vows, pledges, and often do not keep their word.

God is aware of this and in Numbers 30:1-2, He commands us to keep our vows. In a crisis, we make vows we don’t later keep. In our lives, we see vows and contracts being broken all the time. We have grown to be a people that are leery of each other’s word. We cannot trust each other anymore. This was not God’s plan. God has always wanted us to keep our word, pledges, vows, contracts, etc. It has always been God’s intent that we be an honorable people. When we are not, we hurt those around us. We should be thankful that we have a God who keeps His word, His vows, His contract with us, but what kind of vow keepers are we? I remember how brokenhearted I was when my uncle broke his vow. I wonder how God feels when we break our vows to Him? Have you broken a vow to God? How about to your spouse? Maybe you have broken a promise to your child or a friend! I have tried hard all my life to keep my word because I hate it when someone breaks a vow to me but I have to confess I have broken a few promises. Thanks be to God that we have the blood of Jesus Christ that cleanses and makes us whole!

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Day 74: Numbers 27:1-29:11; Mark 11:27-12:12 — Who are you?

Monday, March 15th, 2010

The daughters of Zelophehad do not have authority to take an inheritance, no male heir existed to carry on. They understand the culture, the law, but they need help. Who are they? People of God who need help for a rare circumstance, and they receive that help.

The Creator reminds Moses that he had tried to take on too much authority when he struck the rock, “Shall we bring you water?” Now Moses will have to settle for merely looking at the land from a mountain top. Who is Moses? Not as much as he thought he was in that episode. He overstepped the bounds and failed to treat God as Holy.

Joshua stands with Moses, again, as he has so often in the past forty years, but this time something different will occur. Moses will die, the people need leadership. Joshua stands before Eleazar, Moses, and the people of Israel. Moses lays hands on Joshua, and designates Joshua as leader, prophet, and judge. Who is Joshua? A trained and proven warrior, a man of holiness and of the Spirit of God, and now the leader of Israel under God’s authority.

Moses, remind Israel of Who I Am, says God Almighty: The sacrifices, daily, monthly; the festivals to commemorate your deliverance, to remind Israel Who has redeemed them. The next book collecting Moses’ final words to Israel carries the theme, “Lest you forget.” How easily Israel, and at times we ourselves, forget the Identity, the work, and the plans of The Mighty One.

“You entered Jerusalem as a monarch and received praise from the people. Just who do you think you are?” Jesus deals with people as they need, always in a way that challenges them to examine who they are, what they need to be about, what their perspective and relationship with God and themselves should be. Jesus goes back to basics. “What do you think about those who carry God’s authority, and have missions that collide with your own puffed up sense of self importance?” Well . . . He didn’t say that, but that may well be the ego pounding He gave them. Being true to their own nature, they save face and dodge the question. Jesus answers them in a way that says, “You do not really want to know who I am; I wish you did.”

Who are you? Are you in need? God will answer your true needs. Are you blessed by Him? Dedicate your life to Him, worship Him in daily living and in collective worship as the church. Are you a ready servant? God has a work and wonderful direction for your life. Are you vying with God for power and authority? Shudder to consider the implications of this! The voices of the past both encourage and warn us: Know your God first, and then He will know you, and you will know you are.

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Day 70: Numbers 20:10-13 — Complaining

Thursday, March 11th, 2010

“A people that values its privileges above its principles soon loses both.” – Dwight D. Eisenhower

After God had saved the people of Israel from the Egyptians and led them into the desert, they began to complain (Numbers 20:2-5). Slaves freed become privileged as the chosen of the creator of all. The consequences were great because their complaining and Moses’ failure to follow instructions led to their exclusion from the promised land. It is interesting that in 1 Corinthians 10:1-13, Paul tells us the same story. In fact, I think it would be appropriate to say that he reminds us as Christians that we are privileged. We have been saved by Jesus Christ, but he exhorts us not to value our privileges above our principles or like Eisenhower said, we may lose both.

Questions:

  1. Do we live in a land of idolatry? Is God first in our government, family, and churches? (I Corinthians 10:7)
  2. Is sexual immorality a problem? (I Corinthians 10:8-9)
  3. Are we a grumbling people? (I Corinthians 10:10)
  4. Do we think we are self-sufficient? (I Corinthians 10:12)

Thank you Lord for making us a privileged people!  Help us this week not to grumble! May we value your principles over our privileges!

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Day 64: Numbers 8:5-22 — Salvation

Friday, March 5th, 2010

waterI have a preacher friend from another tradition that likes to tease me. When he sees me, he will say something like, “Hey Randy, you still baptizing people or have you learned about grace?” I will answer back something like, “Yes, grace has taught me to baptize.” I don’t think we will ever come to terms with this but when I read our text from Numbers 8:5-22, it makes me think about why cleansing is so important to God. I mean God has already shown His grace to the people by saving them from the Egyptians. He brought them out of Egypt and saved them from Pharaoh at the crossing of the Red Sea. Well then after He shows them His grace, why does He give them the Ten Commandments, expect them to build a tabernacle, and then in our reading tell the people to cleanse themselves for purification of sins? In this long list of things to do, never do the people question God’s grace nor his commandments.

Next time, I see my friend, I am going to yell, “you still telling people to call on the name of Jesus to be saved or have you learned of grace?” I mean if grace saves us why do we need faith, or to call on the name of Jesus, or confess, or repent, or be baptized, or to give money, or to live morally? It seems to me if we understand grace then we understand judgment. The just thing for God to do is to annihilate us from the face of the earth. I mean we have all sinned. We are all guilty. Yet, Jesus died for our sins and saved us from our sins. Jesus is so much greater than the sacrifice and purification in the Old Testament in our reading. I think His call for us to obey His Word today is even greater.

I believe that Jesus died for our sins, was buried, and rose again on the third day (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). I confess Him (Romans 10:9-10) and call upon His name (Romans 10:13), I repent of my sins (Acts 2:38), and I submit my body to be immersed (buried in water – Colossians 2:12) into Christ (Galatians 3:26-27). I believe that coming up out of that grave of water, that I am born again (John 3:3-5). I am forgiven of past sins (Acts 2:38 and Acts 22:16). I am saved (1Peter 3:21 and Mark 16:16). I am added to the church which Jesus built (Matthew 16:18, Acts 2:41, and Acts 2:47). I have received the indwelling of the Holy Spirit as a seal of my salvation (Acts 5:32, Ephesians 1:13-14, and Romans 8:9-11). I am called to live a life worthy of Christ everyday (Ephesians 4:1-6).

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Posted in Baptism, Cross, Discipleship, faith, Forgiveness, God, Grace, Numbers, Repentance, Salvation, Sin | Comments Off

Day 60: Numbers 2:1-3:39; Mark 5:1-20 — By the numbers, move out

Monday, March 1st, 2010

Two“. . . and you, men of Zebulun, that’s right, right over there, yes on that side. No, no, no! Don’t touch those! You, there, sons of Merari, please move the framing so they can get by. How many are there of you, again? Yes, Aaron, you and your sons alone are to make the sacrifices, and take care of the service. Everyone know their jobs?” What a sight, bringing order out of the chaos for over two million people. A place for everyone and everyone in their place. Move by the numbers, and every one numbered. Finally!  Moving on to the promised land!

Meanwhile, on the sea of Galilee, did they know where they were going? Had they heard the stories? If so, they no doubt wondered why Jesus was going to the tombs. If they had not heard the stories, they soon would hear the wailing and cries of a man in torment. As they secure the boat, Jesus walks straight for the screaming, hulking figure of a monster! “Come out! Come out, demons! What is your name, poor tormented fellow?”

ThreeTwo readings. So unrelated? No, not really. Among other superlatives, we may consider God the Ultimate Accountant. A friend of mine in Arkansas once commented on all the lists and listings of people, son of this one, son of that one. Why keep all of that? Genealogy for one thing, but more so, God loves His creation, loves people. We all “count”, we are all important to Him. He knows the hairs of our heads, and the lack thereof. He knows the teeming masses of mankind so lost and wandering, the chaos, Matthew 9:36. God planned and created a wonderful place where we all can be counted, and accounted for, in Christ. Before time began He planned for you and me to be counted in that fantastic heavenly multitude, Acts 2:39-40, Ephesians 3:10-11.

FourDoes one man count, really? Jesus says, “Yes.” Jesus knew the demons that plagued that one, sad soul, and He wanted that one, sad soul to be free! “What is your name?” How personal, and touching! “Legion, for we are many.” How so like us, so distraught and torn between so many obligations, fears, and “to do’s”, “must do’s”, and “did I do’s”!  When Jesus has finished the miracle, freed that one man of demons, then the work could begin, the rebuilding, the mending, Mark 5:18-20. How tender a moment! Jesus, I want to stay with you, forever! How our longing hearts pray this! And yet He says, not yet, I have a job for you. You are not alone. Yes, I will come back for you. Even so, come, Lord Jesus! Matthew 28:20, Acts 1: 11, 2 Peter 3:9.

Israelites, head ‘em up! Move ‘em out. We have a promised land to get to!

Church, head ‘em up, move ‘em out. We have a promised land to get to!

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