Num 14:1 All night long the people cried out in distress.
Num 14:2 They complained against Moses and Aaron, and said, "It would have been better to die in Egypt or even here in the wilderness!
Num 14:3 Why is the LORD taking us into that land? We will be killed in battle, and our wives and children will be captured. Wouldn't it be better to go back to Egypt?"
Num 14:4 So they said to one another, "Let's choose a leader and go back to Egypt!"
The Israelites had this habit of threatening God and Moses of going back to Egypt. They love to remind God and Moses of the better life they had in Egypt. Although they were slave, at least they are sure of getting their ration of food compared to the uncertainty of their freedom.
The early Israelite and God relationship is a love-hate relationship that sometimes reminds of a father and child relationship.
God struck down the other spies. Only Joshua and Caleb was left alive.
When the Israelites heard this, they rushed on to the high hill to take the land. But Moses told them that God is not with them and that they will be defeated. But the people still continued and they were defeated.
Monday, September 17, 2007
Sunday, September 16, 2007
Numbers 13
Num 13:25 After exploring the land for forty days, the spies returned
Num 13:26 to Moses, Aaron, and the whole community of Israel at Kadesh in the wilderness of Paran. They reported what they had seen and showed them the fruit they had brought.
Num 13:27 They told Moses, "We explored the land and found it to be rich and fertile; and here is some of its fruit.
Num 13:28 But the people who live there are powerful, and their cities are very large and well fortified. Even worse, we saw the descendants of the giants there.
Num 13:29 Amalekites live in the southern part of the land; Hittites, Jebusites, and Amorites live in the hill country; and Canaanites live by the Mediterranean Sea and along the Jordan River."
Num 13:30 Caleb silenced the people who were complaining against Moses, and said, "We should attack now and take the land; we are strong enough to conquer it."
Num 13:31 But the men who had gone with Caleb said, "No, we are not strong enough to attack them; the people there are more powerful than we are."
Num 13:32 So they spread a false report among the Israelites about the land they had explored. They said, "That land doesn't even produce enough to feed the people who live there. Everyone we saw was very tall,
Num 13:33 and we even saw giants there, the descendants of Anak. We felt as small as grasshoppers, and that is how we must have looked to them."
Moses sent out spies to look over Canaan. The spies, one from each tribe, came back and told Moses of the abundance in the land. Unfortunately, the place was inhabited by powerful people, giants. The spies reported that these giants are powerful and that they cannot be defeated.
Joshua and Caleb were enthusiastic about taking the land. Caleb was sure that the giants could be defeated but he and Joshua was out voted by the other spies.
Num 13:26 to Moses, Aaron, and the whole community of Israel at Kadesh in the wilderness of Paran. They reported what they had seen and showed them the fruit they had brought.
Num 13:27 They told Moses, "We explored the land and found it to be rich and fertile; and here is some of its fruit.
Num 13:28 But the people who live there are powerful, and their cities are very large and well fortified. Even worse, we saw the descendants of the giants there.
Num 13:29 Amalekites live in the southern part of the land; Hittites, Jebusites, and Amorites live in the hill country; and Canaanites live by the Mediterranean Sea and along the Jordan River."
Num 13:30 Caleb silenced the people who were complaining against Moses, and said, "We should attack now and take the land; we are strong enough to conquer it."
Num 13:31 But the men who had gone with Caleb said, "No, we are not strong enough to attack them; the people there are more powerful than we are."
Num 13:32 So they spread a false report among the Israelites about the land they had explored. They said, "That land doesn't even produce enough to feed the people who live there. Everyone we saw was very tall,
Num 13:33 and we even saw giants there, the descendants of Anak. We felt as small as grasshoppers, and that is how we must have looked to them."
Moses sent out spies to look over Canaan. The spies, one from each tribe, came back and told Moses of the abundance in the land. Unfortunately, the place was inhabited by powerful people, giants. The spies reported that these giants are powerful and that they cannot be defeated.
Joshua and Caleb were enthusiastic about taking the land. Caleb was sure that the giants could be defeated but he and Joshua was out voted by the other spies.
Saturday, September 15, 2007
Numbers 12
Num 12:1 Moses had married a Cushite woman, and Miriam and Aaron criticized him for it.
Num 12:2 They said, "Has the LORD spoken only through Moses? Hasn't he also spoken through us?" The LORD heard what they said.
Num 12:3 (Moses was a humble man, more humble than anyone else on earth.)
Num 12:4 Suddenly the LORD said to Moses, Aaron, and Miriam, "I want the three of you to come out to the Tent of my presence." They went,
Num 12:5 and the LORD came down in a pillar of cloud, stood at the entrance of the Tent, and called out, "Aaron! Miriam!" The two of them stepped forward,
Num 12:6 and the LORD said, "Now hear what I have to say! When there are prophets among you, I reveal myself to them in visions and speak to them in dreams.
Num 12:7 It is different when I speak with my servant Moses; I have put him in charge of all my people Israel.
Num 12:8 So I speak to him face-to-face, clearly and not in riddles; he has even seen my form! How dare you speak against my servant Moses?"
Miriam and Aaron resented Moses for marrying a Cushite woman. They criticized Moses but God took Moses’ side. Moses did take offense with his siblings’ behavior, which shows his humility. When God punished Miriam with leprosy, it was Moses who interceded to God for his sister’s healing.
God affirmed his anointment of Moses as the leader of Israelites and aborted the power struggle among the siblings.
Num 12:2 They said, "Has the LORD spoken only through Moses? Hasn't he also spoken through us?" The LORD heard what they said.
Num 12:3 (Moses was a humble man, more humble than anyone else on earth.)
Num 12:4 Suddenly the LORD said to Moses, Aaron, and Miriam, "I want the three of you to come out to the Tent of my presence." They went,
Num 12:5 and the LORD came down in a pillar of cloud, stood at the entrance of the Tent, and called out, "Aaron! Miriam!" The two of them stepped forward,
Num 12:6 and the LORD said, "Now hear what I have to say! When there are prophets among you, I reveal myself to them in visions and speak to them in dreams.
Num 12:7 It is different when I speak with my servant Moses; I have put him in charge of all my people Israel.
Num 12:8 So I speak to him face-to-face, clearly and not in riddles; he has even seen my form! How dare you speak against my servant Moses?"
Miriam and Aaron resented Moses for marrying a Cushite woman. They criticized Moses but God took Moses’ side. Moses did take offense with his siblings’ behavior, which shows his humility. When God punished Miriam with leprosy, it was Moses who interceded to God for his sister’s healing.
God affirmed his anointment of Moses as the leader of Israelites and aborted the power struggle among the siblings.
Friday, September 14, 2007
Numbers 11
Num 11:1 The people began to complain to the LORD about their troubles. When the LORD heard them, he became angry and sent fire on the people. It burned among them and destroyed one end of the camp.
Num 11:2 The people cried out to Moses for help; he prayed to the LORD, and the fire died down.
Num 11:3 So the place was named Taberah, because there the fire of the LORD burned among them.
Num 11:4 There were foreigners traveling with the Israelites. They had a strong craving for meat, and even the Israelites themselves began to complain: "If only we could have some meat!
Num 11:5 In Egypt we used to eat all the fish we wanted, and it cost us nothing. Remember the cucumbers, the watermelons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic we had?
Num 11:6 But now our strength is gone. There is nothing at all to eat---nothing but this manna day after day!"
Complaints! The Israelites were complaining because they have no meat. They listened to the foreigners complaints about meat because they themselves want meat. They would rather be slaves as long as they can eat better food.
Num 11:18 Now tell the people, 'Purify yourselves for tomorrow; you will have meat to eat. The LORD has heard you whining and saying that you wished you had some meat and that you were better off in Egypt. Now the LORD will give you meat, and you will have to eat it.
Num 11:19 You will have to eat it not just for one or two days, or five, or ten, or even twenty days,
Num 11:20 but for a whole month, until it comes out of your ears, until you are sick of it. This will happen because you have rejected the LORD who is here among you and have complained to him that you should never have left Egypt.' "
A good reminder on complaining.
Num 11:2 The people cried out to Moses for help; he prayed to the LORD, and the fire died down.
Num 11:3 So the place was named Taberah, because there the fire of the LORD burned among them.
Num 11:4 There were foreigners traveling with the Israelites. They had a strong craving for meat, and even the Israelites themselves began to complain: "If only we could have some meat!
Num 11:5 In Egypt we used to eat all the fish we wanted, and it cost us nothing. Remember the cucumbers, the watermelons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic we had?
Num 11:6 But now our strength is gone. There is nothing at all to eat---nothing but this manna day after day!"
Complaints! The Israelites were complaining because they have no meat. They listened to the foreigners complaints about meat because they themselves want meat. They would rather be slaves as long as they can eat better food.
Num 11:18 Now tell the people, 'Purify yourselves for tomorrow; you will have meat to eat. The LORD has heard you whining and saying that you wished you had some meat and that you were better off in Egypt. Now the LORD will give you meat, and you will have to eat it.
Num 11:19 You will have to eat it not just for one or two days, or five, or ten, or even twenty days,
Num 11:20 but for a whole month, until it comes out of your ears, until you are sick of it. This will happen because you have rejected the LORD who is here among you and have complained to him that you should never have left Egypt.' "
A good reminder on complaining.
Thursday, September 13, 2007
Numbers 10
Num 10:1 The LORD said to Moses,
Num 10:2 "Make two trumpets of hammered silver to use for calling the people together and for breaking camp.
Num 10:3 When long blasts are sounded on both trumpets, the whole community is to gather around you at the entrance to the Tent of my presence.
Num 10:4 But when only one trumpet is sounded, then only the leaders of the clans are to gather around you.
Num 10:5 When short blasts are sounded, the tribes camped on the east will move out.
Num 10:6 When short blasts are sounded a second time, the tribes on the south will move out. So short blasts are to be sounded to break camp,
Num 10:7 but in order to call the community together, long blasts are to be sounded.
Num 10:8 The trumpets are to be blown by Aaron's sons, the priests. "The following rule is to be observed for all time to come.
I remember my boy scouts days. One part of the boy scouts training is deciphering whistle codes. There’s a whistle for general assembly, a whistle for troop leaders assembly, a whistle for emergency. It’s really all about learning order and discipline. This is the same for the early Israelites as it is for today.
Num 10:9 When you are at war in your land, defending yourselves against an enemy who has attacked you, sound the signal for battle on these trumpets. I, the LORD your God, will help you and save you from your enemies.
God’s assurance for his people never changed as it was during the early Israelites’ days and today.
Num 10:2 "Make two trumpets of hammered silver to use for calling the people together and for breaking camp.
Num 10:3 When long blasts are sounded on both trumpets, the whole community is to gather around you at the entrance to the Tent of my presence.
Num 10:4 But when only one trumpet is sounded, then only the leaders of the clans are to gather around you.
Num 10:5 When short blasts are sounded, the tribes camped on the east will move out.
Num 10:6 When short blasts are sounded a second time, the tribes on the south will move out. So short blasts are to be sounded to break camp,
Num 10:7 but in order to call the community together, long blasts are to be sounded.
Num 10:8 The trumpets are to be blown by Aaron's sons, the priests. "The following rule is to be observed for all time to come.
I remember my boy scouts days. One part of the boy scouts training is deciphering whistle codes. There’s a whistle for general assembly, a whistle for troop leaders assembly, a whistle for emergency. It’s really all about learning order and discipline. This is the same for the early Israelites as it is for today.
Num 10:9 When you are at war in your land, defending yourselves against an enemy who has attacked you, sound the signal for battle on these trumpets. I, the LORD your God, will help you and save you from your enemies.
God’s assurance for his people never changed as it was during the early Israelites’ days and today.
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Numbers 9
Num 9:22 Or whether it were two days, or a month, or a year, that the cloud tarried upon the tabernacle, remaining thereon, the children of Israel abode in their tents, and journeyed not: but when it was taken up, they journeyed.
Num 9:23 At the commandment of the LORD they rested in the tents, and at the commandment of the LORD they journeyed: they kept the charge of the LORD, at the commandment of the LORD by the hand of Moses.
Num 9:23 At the commandment of the LORD they rested in the tents, and at the commandment of the LORD they journeyed: they kept the charge of the LORD, at the commandment of the LORD by the hand of Moses.
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Numbers 8
Num 8:1 The LORD said to Moses,
Num 8:2 "Tell Aaron to put the seven lamps on the lampstand so they shine toward the front."
Num 8:3 Aaron obeyed and placed the lamps as he was told.
Num 8:4 The lampstand was made of hammered gold from its base to the decorative flowers on top, exactly like the pattern the LORD had described to Moses.
Num 8:5 The LORD said to Moses:
Num 8:6 The Levites must be acceptable to me before they begin working at the sacred tent. So separate them from the rest of the Israelites
Num 8:7 and sprinkle them with the water that washes away their sins. Then have them shave their entire bodies and wash their clothes.
Intricate rituals for the cleansing for the Levites before appearing in the temple.
Christ cleansed us with his blood.
Num 8:2 "Tell Aaron to put the seven lamps on the lampstand so they shine toward the front."
Num 8:3 Aaron obeyed and placed the lamps as he was told.
Num 8:4 The lampstand was made of hammered gold from its base to the decorative flowers on top, exactly like the pattern the LORD had described to Moses.
Num 8:5 The LORD said to Moses:
Num 8:6 The Levites must be acceptable to me before they begin working at the sacred tent. So separate them from the rest of the Israelites
Num 8:7 and sprinkle them with the water that washes away their sins. Then have them shave their entire bodies and wash their clothes.
Intricate rituals for the cleansing for the Levites before appearing in the temple.
Christ cleansed us with his blood.
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