Category: Numbers Devotionals

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Numbers Devotionals

Guarding our hearts against sin

Guarding our hearts

Let’s be honest. There are things in Numbers that are hard to read. Especially when it comes to God’s judgment.

But according to the apostle Paul, there is a reason God recorded all these things. He wrote this in 1 Corinthians 10.

Now these things took place as examples for us, so that we will not desire evil things as they did.

Don’t become idolaters as some of them were; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and got up to party.

Let us not commit sexual immorality as some of them did, and in a single day twenty-three thousand people died. Let us not test Christ as some of them did and were destroyed by snakes.

And don’t grumble as some of them did,, and were killed by the destroyer.

These things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our instruction, on whom the ends of the ages, have come. (1 Corinthians 10:6-11)

The first event Paul mentions happened in Exodus 32. The rest occured in the chapters we’ve been reading in Numbers, including today’s chapter.

Why did God record all these things?

For our instruction.

What can we learn?

1. God takes sin seriously, especially willful, rebellious sin.

We saw this in chapters 15-17, and we see it again here in verse 6.

While the people are weeping over their sin and God’s judgment, a man brashly brings into his tent a Midianite woman to sleep with her, probably as part of a religious ritual.

2. The wages of sin, particularly willful, rebellious, and unrepentant sin is death.

Because of that we dare not take sin lightly in our lives. Rather we are to flee from it.

And so Paul warns us:

So, whoever thinks he stands must be careful not to fall. (1 Corinthians 10:12)

We need to constantly be on our guard against sin.

But the good news is that God is with us to help us stand against sin and be victorious over it.

As Paul says,

No temptation has come upon you except what is common to humanity.

But God is faithful; he will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation he will also provide the way out so that you may be able to bear it. (1 Corinthians 10:13)

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Numbers Devotionals

How God sees us

worship

How can I curse someone God has not cursed?

How can I denounce someone the Lord has not denounced? (Numbers 23:8)

As I read those words, I thought about what Paul said to the Roman Christians.

Who can bring an accusation against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies.

Who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is the one who died, but even more, has been raised; he also is at the right hand of God and intercedes for us. (Romans 8:33-34)

Satan would denounce us before the Father for all our sins and failures.

Sometimes, we even denounce ourselves.

But how can we denounce someone our Father has not denounced?

Our Father justifies us by the blood Jesus shed for us on the cross. And Jesus himself stands by the Father’s side and defends us.

God foreknew us. He predestined us to be his children and to be like Jesus. He called us. He justified us. And he glorified us in his sight.

That’s how he sees us. He sees us as our loving Father.

And the good news is, he won’t change his mind. I love Numbers 23:19.

God is not a man, that he might lie, or a son of man, that he might change his mind.

Does he speak and not act, or promise and not fulfill?

God is determined to bless us and he will. (Numbers 23:20)

We may face his discipline at times for our sins, but he will never abandon us.

And because he never changes his mind, nothing can separate us from his love. (Romans 8:38-39)

God is with us. So let’s rejoice in our King. (Numbers 23:21)

And every day, let’s cry out, “What great things God has done for me!” (Numbers 23:23)

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Numbers Devotionals

Only words?

Crossroad

As I was reading Balaam’s story, I couldn’t help but think of Jesus’ rebuke of the Pharisees and scribes:

This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. (Matthew 15:8)

At times, Balaam sounded very pious.

“I can’t possibly go against God’s command, small or great.” (Numbers 22:18)

Bu though he honored God with his lips, his heart was apparently far from God.

Because of his greed, it seems he was trying to find some way circumvent God’s command to him. (2 Peter 2:15-16)

But God saw his heart and made sure Balaam knew that he was not fooled. Only then did Balaam refrain from cursing the Israelites.

But even then, Balaam later found a way to bring trouble on the Israelites. (Numbers 25:1-5, 31:16)

It’s easy on Sunday to sing songs saying, “Yes, Lord. Yes, Lord. Yes, yes, Lord. Amen!”

But is it just words?

Or is it our heart?

A heart that is fully given to God, not just on Sunday, but all week, moment to moment, day to day?

Do we wholeheartedly follow him? Or do we try to find ways to get around his commands?

Father, I don’t want to be like Balaam. May my heart be completely yours.

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Numbers Devotionals

Breaking faith with God

Moses looking at promised land

Because you did not believe in me, to uphold me as holy in the eyes of the people of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land that I have given them. (Numbers 20:12)

I was thinking on those words God spoke to Moses and Aaron this morning.

“You did not believe in me.”

Instead of believing God’s instructions and doing things God’s way, Moses did things his own.

In doing so, he showed the same lack of honor to God that the people had with all their complaining and rebelliousness.

Later Moses paraphrased what God had told him. “You broke faith with me. You betrayed my trust. You were unfaithful and disloyal to me.” (Deuteronomy 32:51)

Here was a man that God had spoken to face to face, as a man does with a friend. (Exodus 33:11).

And Moses had betrayed that trust.

How much did that pain the heart of the Father?

Father, how often am I like Moses? How often do I fail to believe in you? Instead of believing your instructions and doing things your way, I do things my own?

By your grace, you saved me. By your grace, you made me your own and call me “friend.”

I never want to look into your eyes knowing that I have betrayed your trust.

Help me to always honor you as holy in my life. To give you the honor you are so worthy of in everything I say and do. And when other see me, let them see you.

In Jesus’ name, amen.

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Numbers Devotionals

What cannot be forgiven

Unforgivable sin

In these chapters, we see some harsh punishments that God laid on the Israelites.

For a lot of people, including Christians, that’s hard to understand, but it comes down to a truth that God laid out in chapter 15.

There is a huge difference between unintentional sins and willful, and more importantly, unrepentant rebellion.

There were sacrifices that could be made for the former.

There were no sacrifices for the latter.

Where there is unrepentant rebellion, any sacrifices would be totally meaningless. (Numbers 15:22-30)

We see this truth played out in the person who willfully and unrepentantly broke the Sabbath. (Numbers 15:32-36)

We see it also in Korah and his followers. (Numbers 16)

A rebellious heart is an ugly thing.

But when it is combined with a heart that refuses to repent, it becomes unforgivable.

All of us sin. But let us never get to the point where we willfully and unrepentantly rebel against God.

Instead, let us have the heart of David, who certainly knew willful sin, but also knew true repentance as well.

Who perceives his unintentional sins?
Cleanse me from my hidden faults.

Moreover, keep your servant from willful sins;
do not let them rule me.
Then I will be blameless
and cleansed from blatant rebellion.

May the words of my mouth
and the meditation of my heart
be acceptable to you,
Lord, my rock and my Redeemer.” (Psalm 19:12-14)

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Numbers Devotionals

Lead your heart

Cornerstone of apartment. The Lord our God is One Lord.

Speak to the Israelites and tell them that throughout their generations they are to make tassels for the corners of their garments, and put a blue cord on the tassel at each corner.

These will serve as tassels for you to look at, so that you may remember all the Lord’s commands and obey them and not prostitute yourselves by following your own heart and your own eyes.

This way you will remember and obey all my commands and be holy to your God.

I am the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt to be your God; I am the Lord your God. (Numbers 15:38-41)

Last year at my church, we talked about not following our hearts, but rather leading our hearts to follow God.

That’s not a new idea.

Moses told the Israelites the same thing. “Don’t just follow your hearts, setting them on the things you see, and so prostitute yourself. Lead your hearts to follow God and his ways.”

Why? Because God had first loved them. He had saved them from slavery in Egypt and made them his people.

And so now, they were to be holy to him.

In the same way, God first loved us, setting us free from slavery to Satan’s kingdom.

We are God’s beloved people now, and we are to be holy to him, not prostituting ourselves to sin again.

But how do we lead our hearts?

God gave the Israelites one way.

He told them to make a tassel with a blue cord attached to each corner of their garments. Every time they put on their clothes, they were to remember to lead their hearts to follow God.

We don’t need to do that, but it is good to find ways to remind ourselves whose we are and who we are to follow.

Recently, someone at my church moved into a new apartment, and he showed me a picture of its cornerstone. It says, “The LORD our God is one LORD.” (Deuteronomy 6:4)

Every time he walks into his apartment building, that can be his “tassel.”

My “tassel” is a prayer I pray every morning from Revelation 4:11.

Our Lord and God,
you are worthy to receive
glory and honor and power,
because you have created all things,
and by your will
they exist and were created.

By your will, you created me, and I have breath for another day. Be glorified in my life.

What’s your tassel? If you don’t have one, find one!

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Numbers Devotionals

Eyes of faith. Eyes of fear.

Joshua and Caleb

When Moses sent them to scout out the land of Canaan, he told them, “…Be courageous.” (Numbers 13:17, 20)

Those words really stuck out to me this morning.

One of the things Moses told the twelve scouts before they went out to spy out Canaan was to be courageous.

But only two of them, Joshua and Caleb, came back courageous.

Why? Because they had eyes of faith. They saw how big God is.

The rest of them came back with eyes filled with fear.

Why? They could only see how big the Canaanites were.

How often do we fear the future, how often do we fear where God is leading us because we forget how big he is?

And just as importantly, how good he is.

I happened to be praying through Psalm 16 today, and verses 5-8 seemed particularly appropriate.

Lord, you are my portion and my cup of blessing; you hold my future.

The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.

I will bless the Lord who counsels me—even at night when my thoughts trouble me.

I always let the Lord guide me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. (Psalm 16:5-8)

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Numbers Devotionals

That I might honor you

Jesus and Moses

Listen to what I say: If there is a prophet among you from the Lord, I make myself known to him in a vision; I speak with him in a dream.

Not so with my servant Moses; he is faithful in all my household. (Numbers 12:6–7)

Therefore, holy brothers and sisters, who share in a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession.

He was faithful to the one who appointed him, just as Moses was in all God’s household.

For Jesus is considered worthy of more glory than Moses, just as the builder has more honor than the house…

Moses was faithful as a servant in all God’s household, as a testimony to what would be said in the future.

But Christ was faithful as a Son over his household. And we are that household. (Hebrews 3:1-6)

Lord Jesus, Moses was faithful in the Father’s household as a servant. As such, he was worthy of glory and honor.

But you were faithful in the Father’s household as a Son. And because of that you are worthy of even more glory and honor than Moses.

So let me honor you in all my words and my actions. You are worthy of my obedience and respect.

Forgive me for the times I fail to honor you in that way.

Thank you for continuing to be my high priest who faithfully intercedes for me despite the times I fail to honor you. Thank you for your awesome grace. In your name I pray, amen.

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Numbers Devotionals

Riff-raff? Or Spirit filled?

riffraff or Spirit-filled

The riffraff among them had a strong craving for other food.

The Israelites wept again and said, “Who will feed us meat? We remember the free fish we ate in Egypt, along with the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions, and garlic. But now our appetite is gone; there’s nothing to look at but this manna!” (Numbers 11:4-6)

The word translated “riffraff” is an unusual word found only here in the Old Testament.

It possibly referred to some foreigners who had joined the Israelites on their departure from Egypt.

Whoever they were, one thing is clear: they were complainers who influenced others in a bad way and were a burden on Moses.

On the other hand, 70 of the Israelites were filled with God’s Spirit to be a support to Moses. And as Moses told Joshua, he wished all the people were Spirit-filled.

That was a wish God would grant years later at Pentecost. (Acts 2:14-18)

One thing I never want to be in God’s church is riffraff. Someone who’s constantly complaining, who influences others to do the same, burdening the leadership.

I want to be Spirit-filled, being used by God to touch and bless others’ lives, both inside the church and out.

How about you?

God has given you his Spirit.

Are you living a life filled and led by the Spirit?

Or are you living like riffraff?

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Numbers Devotionals

Taking sexual sin lightly

Numbers

If there was any doubt if Balaam served God or not, the answer is found in this chapter. It was he that led the Israelites into idolatry and sexual sin. (Numbers 31:16)

As a result, 24,000 Israelites died.

This was the second time the Israelites fell into this kind of sin (Exodus 32).

More, this is what we saw in Numbers 15. This wasn’t unintentional sin. This was defiant sin.

That was clearly seen in the man that Phinehas the high priest killed in verses 6-9.

While people were dying because of the plague God had sent, and Moses and the other Israelites were mourning before God, this man defiantly went into his tent to sleep with this woman in an act probably related to Baal-worship.

It’s interesting that sexual sin was tied so closely to idolatry in that time. Interesting because sexual sin has become the idol of this age.

So many in society take sexual sins lightly to the point they no longer consider them sins at all. (Romans 1:24, 26-27, 32)

But to God, these are sins worthy of death. (Romans 1:32; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10)

That’s why Paul in looking back on these two incidents wrote,

Don’t become idolaters as some of them were; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and got up to party. 

Let us not commit sexual immorality as some of them did, and in a single day twenty-three thousand people died. (1 Corinthians 10:7-8)

How about you? Do you take sexual sin as lightly as this world does?

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Numbers Devotionals

Truly seeking God?

Numbers

Balaam and Barak sounded very pious didn’t they?

“I’m going to seek the Lord.”

“Great! I’ll wait…So what did he say? I want to hear.” (Numbers 23:15, 17)

And yet, when God spoke, both Balaam and Balak were upset.

Balak was frustrated because he wanted God to curse Israel.

Balaam was frustrated because he wanted to get paid and desperately wanted God to change his mind, something God refused to do. (Numbers 23:19)

How often are we like Balak and Balaam?

We say we want to hear from God. But when he speaks, we want nothing to do with his words.

Are we only willing to listen to God when we like what he says?

Or are we willing to listen to God even when we don’t like what he says?

Are we trying to bend God to our will?

Or are we yielding to his?

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Numbers Devotionals

According to what God says

Numbers

Balaam said to him, “Look, I have come to you, but can I say anything I want? I must speak only the message God puts in my mouth.” (Numbers 22:38)

As someone who gives messages on Sundays at my church, I was really struck by those words.

I’m not at liberty to simply say whatever I want. I need to speak the message God puts in my mouth.

But the same is true for all Christians. There are times we receive a lot of pressure from those around us to say what they want to hear.

As Paul put it,

For the time will come when people will not tolerate sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, will multiply teachers for themselves because they have an itch to hear what they want to hear. (2 Timothy 4:3)

Our Lord received that same sort of pressure all the time. But he always spoke according to his Father’s Word. (John 7:16-17)

And unlike Balaam, he always sought to honor his Father. (John 7:18)

May we always follow our Lord’s example, speaking to people in grace and truth.

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Numbers Devotionals

Standing between the living and the dead

Numbers

(Aaron) stood between the dead and the living, and the plague was halted. (Numbers 16:48)

Those words really struck me today.

On one side of Aaron, thousands were dead because of their rebellion.

On the other, thousands were saved through his intercession.

As God’s priests, we stand in the same position as Aaron.

Many around us are dying because of their sin. And we have a choice.

We can just do nothing and watch God’s judgment fall.

Or like Aaron, we can pray. We can intercede. We can reach out to them, sharing God’s gospel of repentance and forgiveness.

Lord, give me the heart of Aaron. There are so many people hurting and dying because of their sin.

Give me Aaron’s compassion. Give me your compassion. Show me what I can do to reach out.

And use me to bring your salvation into their lives. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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Numbers Devotionals

Defiant

Numbers

I don’t think it’s a coincidence that the story of the man violating the Sabbath directly follows God’s instructions found in verses 27-31.

In those verses, God makes a clear distinction between those who sin unintentionally and those who sin defiantly.

For those who sinned unintentionally, atonement could be made and the person was forgiven.

But for the person who sinned defiantly, there was no forgiveness.

That seemed to be the case with the Sabbath-breaker.

It wasn’t that he had simply forgotten it was the Sabbath. When his sin was pointed out, he wasn’t saying, “Oh, no! I messed up. What should I do?”

Rather, he simply didn’t care.

He despised God’s word and by his defiant action blasphemed God.

The result? Death.

For the submissive, repentant heart, God is gracious, and there is always forgiveness.  

But for the defiant, unrepentant heart, there is no forgiveness.

Let us always keep hearts that are soft to our God.

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Numbers Devotionals

Encouraging each other to trust and follow God

Numbers

…none of the men who have seen my glory and the signs I performed in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have tested me these ten times and did not obey me, will ever see the land I swore to give their ancestors. None of those who have despised me will see it.

But since my servant Caleb has a different spirit and has remained loyal to me, I will bring him into the land where he has gone, and his descendants will inherit it. (Numbers 14:22-24)

It’s worth your time to read Hebrews 3 along with this passage, because there, the writer of Hebrews draws out the practical application of this story.

What is the practical application?

Watch out, brothers and sisters, so that there won’t be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. (Hebrews 3:12)

That was the problem of most of the Israelites: an evil, unbelieving heart.

One that despised the Lord who had redeemed them from Egypt.

One that refused to trust him despite all he had done for them.

What kind of heart do we have?

A heart that is hardened to God? One that refuses to trust him?

Or one that is soft? Hearts like that of Joshua and Caleb, who not only trusted God, but urged their brothers and sisters around them to do the same.

It can be so easy to be deceived by sin.

It’s so easy to let our hearts be hardened.

That’s one reason why Christian fellowship is so important.

So let’s surround ourselves with Joshuas and Calebs. And may we ourselves be Joshuas and Calebs to those around us.

As the writer of Hebrews says,

But encourage each other daily, while it is still called today, so that none of you is hardened by sin’s deception. (Hebrews 3:13)

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Numbers Devotionals

Hearing and heeding Jesus’ voice

Numbers

[Moses] is faithful in all my household.
I speak with him directly,
openly, and not in riddles;
he sees the form of the Lord.

So why were you not afraid to speak against my servant Moses? (Numbers 12:7-8)

Needless to say, God was pretty upset with Aaron and Miriam for their attitude toward Moses.

But the writer of Hebrews makes a very interesting application.

Moses was faithful as a servant in all God’s household, as a testimony to what would be said in the future. But Christ was faithful as a Son over his household…

Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says:

“Today, if you hear his (i.e. Jesus’) voice,
do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion…” (Hebrews 3:5-8)

As much as the Israelites were to heed Moses’ voice, we are to heed Jesus’.

Moses was merely a faithful servant, and the people had to heed him.

But Jesus is the faithful Son. More, he is our apostle and high priest. (Hebrews 3:1)

So let us not harden our hearts to him, but always keep hearts that are soft and obedient to him.

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Numbers Devotionals

Too weak?

Numbers

Is the Lord’s arm weak? (Numbers 11:23)

Those words struck me today.

Unlike Moses (14), unlike us, God is not weak.

Certainly not in his ability to keep his promises.

Certainly not in his ability to care for his people.

Certainly not in his discipline.

He shows all these things in this chapter.

But there’s one other area in which he is not weak.

Verse 23 reminded me of what God said in Isaiah 59:1.

Indeed, the Lord’s arm is not too weak to save, and his ear is not too deaf to hear. (Isaiah 59:1)

I wonder: do we ever despair of ever seeing God’s salvation?

In our own country?

In the lives of those we love?

When we look at all the sin and evil in this world, when we see the hardness of people’s hearts, it’s easy to despair.

But remember: the Lord’s arm is not too weak to save.

Remember this too:

Just as God poured his Spirit on the elders in Israel, he has also poured his Spirit on us. (Isaiah 59:21, Acts 2:17-18)

And he has poured his Spirit on us to proclaim his words of life to those around us. That’s not just our pastors’ job.

It’s ours.

Lord, pour out your Spirit in me as you did with Moses and the elders of Israel. As you did in the book of Acts.

Your arm is not too short to save. You saved me.

Now fill me with your Spirit and use me to save those around me. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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Numbers Devotionals

Following God’s lead

Numbers

At the Lord’s command the Israelites set out, and at the Lord’s command they camped.

As long as the cloud stayed over the tabernacle, they camped. (Numbers 9:18)

This was my prayer this morning.

Lord, help me to have a heart that always follows your lead.

It’s easy sometimes to get comfortable. And so when you start out in a new direction, I sometimes hesitate to follow.

Other times, I have all these plans and get tired of waiting. I want to do something now. And yet you’re telling me, “Not yet. Rest. Enjoy my presence. Seek my face. And wait for my timing.”

So Lord, let me not go ahead you, nor let me linger behind you.

Rather each day, let me keep in step with you, going when you go, stopping when you stop.

In Jesus’ name, amen.

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Numbers Devotionals

Confusing God’s grace with his approval

Numbers

One thing that God has been reminding me recently is that just because my ministry is blessed, this doesn’t necessarily mean I have his approval.

This passage is a perfect example of that.

Through Moses, the people of Israel were given water. But Moses most definitely did not have God’s approval.

God had told him to speak to the rock and that God would cause water to come out of it to quench the people’s thirst.

But in a fit of anger because of all the people’s complaints, Moses struck the rock instead.

And…water came out. Everyone was satisfied.

Had God not said anything, Moses might have deceived himself into thinking he had God’s approval. After all, God had used him, and the people’s need was met.

But God was not pleased with Moses.

He said,

Because you did not trust me to demonstrate my holiness in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this assembly into the land I have given them. (Numbers 20:12)

We must never confuse God’s grace in our ministry with his approval of us.

For the sake of his people and his kingdom, in his grace, God may use us to bring blessing to many, even when we’re being unfaithful to our call.

But the fact that he blesses our ministry doesn’t mean that we have God’s approval.

That makes me tremble. What will God say to me when I stand before him?

Will he say, “Well done?”

Or will all I have done be burned away? (1 Corinthians 3:15)

God, you have entrusted me with this ministry to your people. Not for my sake. Not for my glory. But for the sake of your people to bless them. And for the sake of your glory.

Forgive me for the times that I have forgotten that. Help me to always be faithful as your steward.

Thank you for your grace that always picks me up and sustains me. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

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Numbers Devotionals

A better high priest

Numbers

As I read this passage, I thought about Aaron.

He was the first high priest that Israel ever knew.

But he was a flawed man.

While Moses was up on the mountain getting the ten commandments, Aaron gave into pressure from the people, built a golden calf for them to worship, and then had the gall to call it “Yahweh.” (Exodus 32)

Then here, in this passage, he (along with Moses this time) fail to honor God as holy.

I am a little puzzled as to why God included Aaron in this rebuke, as it was Moses who struck the rock instead of speaking to it. Aaron so far as we can tell was just standing by when it happened.

But God sees the heart, and there was apparently something wrong in Aaron’s heart that day as well.

But the most important thing that shows the inadequacy of Aaron comes at the very end of this chapter: he died.

He was not a priest who could intercede for God’s people forever. Because of his sin, he too had to die, and another had to take his place.

What does all this show? The need for a better and greater high priest.

And that’s what Jesus is for us.

Unlike Aaron, he always obeyed his Father in heaven. Not once did he fail to honor his Father as holy.

More importantly, though he died (for our sins, not his own), he rose again, and lives forever never to die again. 

Because of that, the writer of Hebrews writes,

But because [Jesus] remains forever, he holds his priesthood permanently.

Therefore, he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, since he always lives to intercede for them. (Hebrews 7:24-25)

That’s the hope we have. Aaron couldn’t do it for us. Nor could any of his sons or descendants after him. But Jesus can and does.

So as the writer of Hebrews says,

Since we have a great high priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed in pure water.

Let us hold on to the confession of our hope without wavering, since he who promised is faithful. (Hebrews 10:21-23)

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Numbers Devotionals

Separate, but interceding

Numbers

As I was reading different passages from the Bible today, several things struck me, but perhaps this passage most of all.

Some of the Israelites had rebelled against God, and Moses told the community,

Get away from the tents of these wicked men. Don’t touch anything that belongs to them, or you will be swept away because of all their sins. (Numbers 16:26)

The truth is, if we become too entangled with the people of this world, we can get entangled with the consequences of their sin.

There is a reason we are called to be separate from this world. (John 17:14-17; 1 John 2:15-17)

And yet, we are not called to completely abandon those headed for destruction either, at least while there is still time for their salvation.

So in chapter 17, when destruction was headed for the Israelites because of their rebellion, Moses told Aaron to make atonement for the people.

Aaron raced into their midst, and it says in verse 48,

He stood between the dead and the living, and the plague was halted.

We too are called to stand between the living and the dead.

We ourselves cannot make atonement for those who are spiritually dying. But we can introduce them to the One who can. And we can pray.

So as God’s priests, let us find that balance.

Let us not so entangle ourselves with sinners to the point that we get caught up in their sin and the destruction that comes with it.

But let us also intercede for those who are dying, that they too might find the life we ourselves have so graciously received.

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Numbers Devotionals

Going beyond what God has said

Numbers

My daily reading and my church’s Bible reading plan have a certain parallel that I found interesting.

In Numbers, God tells Balaam that when he goes with the men of Balak (who wants Balaam to curse Israel),

“You must only do what I tell you.” (Numbers 22:20)

When Balaam seemingly goes with the intention of circumventing that order, God stops him and warns him again,

“I came out to oppose you, because I consider what you are doing to be evil…

Go with the men, but you are to say only what I tell you (Numbers 22:32,35).

And so when Balaam meets Balak, he tells him straight out,

“Look, I have come to you, but can I say anything I want? I must speak only the message God puts in my mouth.” (Numbers 22:38)

When Balaam then goes to hear from God, God sternly warns him once again,

Return to Balak and say what I tell you. (Numbers 23:5)

Balaam, of course, is commanded to bless Israel and so he does. And when Balak complains about it, Balaam replies,

Shouldn’t I say exactly what the Lord puts in my mouth? (Numbers 23:12)

The same thing happens a few more times until Balak finally gives up and sends Balaam away.

What does this have to do with 2 John?

John told the church,

Anyone who does not remain in Christ’s teaching but goes beyond it does not have God. The one who remains in that teaching, this one has both the Father and the Son.

If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your home, and don’t greet him; for the one who greets him shares in his evil works. (2 John 9-11)

Different context, of course, but the same idea: It is very unwise to go beyond the words that God has given us. And if we do, we just may find ourselves in opposition to God.

How faithful are we to God’s Word?

Do we take into our hearts teachings that stretch his words far beyond what he intended? Do we take into our hearts teachings that are in absolute contradiction to his Word?

That’s a dangerous place to be, as a teacher or as a listener.

We who are teachers cannot simply say anything we want. We must only teach the things that God has said.

To do more than that puts us in a very precarious position.

If we stretch God’s words or flat out contradict them, it may make us popular with the people around us, but it will also put us under God’s judgment.

And if our listeners buy our poison, they’ll fall right along with us.

That’s why it’s important for everyone to test everything they hear and never accept any teaching that goes beyond or contradicts the Word of God.

Let us ever be careful to remain in the teaching we have received from Christ.

Categories
Numbers Devotionals

Following our own hearts

Following Jesus, not our hearts

“Just follow your heart!”

How often have we heard that said to us? How often do we say it to others?

I suppose that there is some truth to it.

When our hearts are aligned with Christ’s, they will often lead us in the right direction.

The problem is, however, that so many times our hearts are not aligned with Christ’s. As a result, our hearts often end up leading us into bad decisions, trouble, and heartache.

That is why God told the Israelites,

“Speak to the Israelites and tell them that throughout their generations they are to make tassels for the corners of their garments, and put a blue cord on the tassel at each corner.

These will serve as tassels for you to look at, so that you may remember all the Lord’s commands and obey them and not prostitute yourselves by following your own heart and your own eyes.

This way you will remember and obey all my commands and be holy to your God.

I am the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt to be your God; I am the Lord your God.” (Numbers 15:39-41)

Here God clearly tells the Israelites that by following their own hearts and eyes, they could quickly fall into prostituting themselves spiritually if they did not have God’s commands and ways at the center of their thinking.

The tassels were merely a physical reminder of this.

The tassels were also a reminder of who their God was, and just why he deserved their loyalty: he had proved his love for them through his deliverance of them from Egypt.

It wasn’t that God capriciously made up rules for them to follow. He truly was looking out for their good.

When we forget these things, and just “follow our hearts,” it leads to the defiant sins that provide the immediate background to this command.

So let us not merely “follow our hearts.”

Let us follow the heart of the one who loved us and gave himself up for us on the cross. (Galatians 2:20)

Categories
Numbers Devotionals

Despising God

Numbers

Lots here that stand out to me. But perhaps the most are these words:

The Lord said to Moses, “How long will these people despise me? How long will they not trust in me…(Numbers 14:11)

How often do we link failing to trust God with despising him?

Why would that be true?

Ultimately, we are insulting him. We are insulting his faithfulness. We are calling him a liar.

That’s what the Israelites essentially did.

If only we had died in the land of Egypt, or if only we had died in this wilderness!

Why is the Lord bringing us into this land to die by the sword? Our wives and children will become plunder.

Wouldn’t it be better for us to go back to Egypt? (Numbers 14:2-3)

In short, they were convinced that God was lying to them.

At the very least, they thought he was promising more than he could deliver.

And in doing so, they despised God.

But concerning Caleb, God said,

Caleb has a different spirit and has remained loyal to me. (Numbers 14:24)

What was different about him? How did he remain loyal? By trusting God. By saying unequivocally,

Let’s go up now and take possession of the land because we can certainly conquer it…

The land we passed through and explored is an extremely good land.

If the Lord is pleased with us, he will bring us into this land. (Numbers 13:30; 14:7-8)

“Extremely good.”

Those are the plans God has for us.

The question is, do we believe it? And will we follow him where he leads?

Or will we fail to trust him by insisting on going our own way, in essence, calling him a liar, and insulting his faithfulness toward us?

Categories
Numbers Devotionals

Spiritual babies

Numbers

It strikes me just how childish the Israelites were in this passage.

The Israelites wept again and said, “Who will feed us meat? We remember the free fish we ate in Egypt, along with the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions, and garlic. But now our appetite is gone; there’s nothing to look at but this manna!” (Numbers 11:4-6)

“Free fish.”

Yeah, I suppose if you consider working as slaves, and being beaten down physically and mentally every day no problem, the fish in Egypt was free.

Here God provides for their needs daily, and all they can do is cry like babies.

That’s certainly how Moses saw them as he started his own whining.

“Why have you brought such trouble on your servant? Why are you angry with me, and why do you burden me with all these people?

Did I conceive all these people? Did I give them birth so you should tell me, ‘Carry them at your breast, as a nanny carries a baby,’ to the land that you swore to give their fathers?

Where can I get meat to give all these people? For they are weeping to me, ‘Give us meat to eat!’

I can’t carry all these people by myself. They are too much for me.

If you are going to treat me like this, please kill me right now if I have found favor with you, and don’t let me see my misery anymore.” (11-15)

And when God promises meat for a month for the Israelites, Moses, despite seeing manna drop out of the sky day by day, whines about the impossibility of it all.

To which God replies,

Is the LORD’s arm weak? Now you will see whether or not what I have promised will happen to you. (23)

And he does exactly as he promised.

I wonder: How often do we members of the church act like spiritual babies, making our pastors and leaders act like baby sitters?

How much of a burden do we put on them by our selfish attitudes?

And how often do we as pastors and leaders get frustrated because we are trying to carry the burden of leadership by ourselves.

All we can see is the immaturity of our people, and we start acting childish ourselves by wasting our time complaining to God about them.

What does the church need?

We don’t need people acting like spiritual babies. We need people filled with God’s Spirit.

We need Spirit-filled leaders who do not simply complain about the lack of maturity on the part of their people (spiritual babies though they may be), but leaders who pray that God would fill their people too.

We need leaders who train the people in their care to use the gifts God has given them.

And we need people who don’t burden the leadership through their constant complaints, but who through God’s Spirit support the leadership by doing their part in ministry.

The body of Christ is not, or at least should not be top heavy with the leaders doing all the work and all the rest just taking in food like a baby.

Rather each person, filled with the Spirit, should be fulfilling the roles and tasks that God has given them.

In that way, we will

all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of God’s Son, growing into maturity with a stature measured by Christ’s fullness.

Then we will no longer be little children, tossed by the waves and blown around by every wind of teaching, by human cunning with cleverness in the techniques of deceit.

But speaking the truth in love, let us grow in every way into him who is the head—Christ.

From him the whole body, fitted and knit together by every supporting ligament, promotes the growth of the body for building up itself in love by the proper working of each individual part. (Ephesians 4:13-16)

Categories
Numbers Devotionals

A single misstep

Numbers

Something struck me here as I read the law concerning the Nazirites.

Nazirites were people who for a period in their lives set themselves apart for God.

There were several rules for the Nazirites, one of which was that they were to avoid dead things. They were not even to attend their own relatives’ funerals during that time.

There is a connection with us as Christians.

As people set apart for God, we are to separate ourselves from spiritually dead things, namely sin.

That is not to say we are not to separate ourselves from spiritually dead people (unless they are having undue influence on us), but we are to avoid their sin.

But what really strikes me is what happened if someone suddenly died in a Nazirite’s presence.

God said that in that case,

…do not count the initial period of consecration because it became defiled. (Numbers 7:12)

In short, for the Nazirite, one “defilement,” one contact with spiritually dead things, could wreck a whole period of being holy before God.

It’s the same for us as people standing before a holy God.

It was true for Adam and Eve. They were set apart for God as his people, but one sin ruined it all.

And it’s the same for us. Even if theoretically we could stay pure for the first 60 years of our lives, one sin would defile the entirety of our lives.

For the Nazirite, they had to start their consecration period all over again, and if it was completed perfectly, then it was accepted before God. That wasn’t necessarily difficult. It’s not every day that a person dies in your presence.

But for us, no matter how often we try to “do better,” we always fall into sin.

And that’s why we need a Savior, one who never did fall, and therefore could take the penalty for our sin, as the doves (or pigeons) did for the Nazirites.

One more thought I had as I thought about this passage. A person in ministry can have  a long and fruitful ministry, but have it wiped out by one misstep.

One infidelity.

One bad choice.

We’ve seen it happen too many times. For all of us in ministry, that is something that we always need to remember.

So for us especially, the words of Paul ring true.

Whoever thinks he stands must be careful not to fall. (1 Corinthians 10:12)