Numbers 20:7-8 The LORD said to Moses, “Take the staff, and you and your brother Aaron gather the assembly together. Speak to that rock before their eyes and it will pour out its water….”
Skip down to verse 12 below. That one caught me off guard as I read Numbers 20. How was Moses disobedient? How did he show distrust? Where was the lack of honor? As usual, commentary helped me significantly.
Numbers 20:10 He and Aaron gathered the assembly together in front of the rock and Moses said to them, “Listen, you rebels, must we bring water out of this rock?”
Moses approached the crowd with anger. Instead of a righteous anger, it was a self-righteousness, a “how dare you question me again?” anger. God told him to speak to the rock and it would put forth water. Moses DID speak to the rock. And then he struck it. Twice. Again, he let his anger get the better of him. That pride that he had been falsely accused of finally showed its face. And I’m guilty of similar transgressions. Just this week.
Numbers 20:11 Then Moses raised his arm and struck the rock twice with his staff. Water gushed out, and the community and their livestock drank.
Lord, Thank You for this day, for this scripture, for this honest look at personal flaws. I know that anger and pride are issues for me. Help me not to let them cause me to be disobedient or disrespectful to You. I don’t want anything to come between us, Lord, especially my flaws. Draw me closer. Amen.
Numbers 20:12 But the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not trust in Me enough to honor Me as holy in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this community into the land I give them.”
Have a blessed day.
Seeking to come clean…. (devo reflection)
Numbers 19:1-2 The LORD said to Moses and Aaron: “This is a requirement of the law that the LORD has commanded….”
In Numbers 19 as in others chapters, commentary talks about the public health nature of many of the cleanliness guidelines in the Bible. With concern over the coronavirus at a fevered pitch, I can certainly appreciate the public health aspect of Numbers 19 in an entirely different way.
Numbers 19:9 “A man who is clean shall gather up the ashes….They are to be kept…for use in the water of cleansing….”
But these measures are not just about public health concerns. They are also about approaching the meeting place of God in such a way that respects who He is. He is God. When we go to His house, we wouldn’t dream of showing up caked in mud, but we should also have a heart that seeks Him and seeks to come clean with Him.
Numbers 19:11 “Whoever touches a human corpse will be unclean for seven days.”
Lord, Thank You for this day, for this scripture, for the reminder that You are sovereign and holy and that the spirit in which we approach You is critical. Help us to come clean with You, to be honest with You, in all areas of our lives. Draw us closer. Amen.
Numbers 19:20 “But if those who are unclean do not purify themselves, they must be cut off from the community, because they have defiled the sanctuary of the LORD….
Have a blessed day.
Everything I have is yours…. (devo reflection)
Numbers 18:7 …I am giving you the service of the priesthood as a gift….
In Numbers 18, God shows the priests and Levites that the priesthood is a gift. By virtue of their office and service to God, God gives them access to the gifts given to Him. Much is asked of them, but He gives them much in return.
Numbers 18:9 You are to have the part of the most holy offerings that is kept from the fire…
Numbers 18 puts me in mind of the story of the prodigal son. When the prodigal returns, the father kills the fattened calf to celebrate, and the older son, the one who remained faithful, is jealous. But the father says, “My son…you are always with me, and everything I have is yours” (Luke 15:31). Being in God’s presence is a gift and allows us access to Him—His love, mercy, grace—for longer than just a single celebration.
Numbers 18:12 “I give you all the finest olive oil and all the finest new wine and grain they give the LORD as the first fruits of their harvest.”
Lord, Thank You for this day, for this scripture, for the reminder that to be in a loving relationship with You is a precious gift, which grants us access to Your throne, Your presence, Your mercy. Help us to live as children of the One True King. Draw us closer. Amen.
Numbers 18:14 “Everything in Israel that is devoted to the LORD is yours.”
Have a blessed day.
Nothing is too hard…. (devo reflection)
Numbers 17:1-2 The LORD said to Moses, “Speak to the Israelites and get twelve staffs from them, one from the leader of each of their ancestral tribes.”
The Lord not only made dead wood bud in this chapter, a feat in and of itself, but he took a staff, dead wood, and made it sprout, bud, blossom, AND produce almonds. He brought forth life from death. This chapter brought to mind Jeremiah 32:17 “Ah, Sovereign LORD, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for You.”
Numbers 17:5 “The staff belonging to the man I choose will sprout, and I will rid myself of this constant grumbling against you by the Israelites.”
“Nothing is too hard for You.” I say it. I see it. But do I really live that belief? When I think about all that I am praying about, praying for, worrying about, do I put the trust in God that I profess? Do I leave my burdens at His feet, in His care, not worrying about the outcome because I know without a doubt that NOTHING is too hard for Him?
Numbers 17:7 Moses placed the staffs before the LORD in the tent of the covenant law.
Precious Savior, Thank You for this day, for this scripture, for this reminder of Your sovereignty. You know my heart, Lord. You know that I trust You, that I believe You, that I believe IN You. I don’t know why I struggle so to leave my burdens at Your feet but I KNOW I can trust You with them. “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24). Amen.
Numbers 17:8 The next day Moses entered the tent and saw that Aaron’s staff, which represented the tribe of Levi, had not only sprouted but had budded, blossomed and produced almonds.
Have a blessed day.
The example of Moses…. (devo reflection)
Numbers 16:4 When Moses heard this, he fell facedown.
Moses is being attacked again. Once again he is being accused of pride, of assuming a position of authority that isn’t his to claim. Once again, he takes it to God, falling facedown in prayer at the accusation. Prayer is an excellent response to such situations.
Numbers 16:20-21 The LORD said to Moses and Aaron, “Separate yourselves from this assembly so I can put an end to them at once.”
But Moses, who has come so far in being a godly man, doesn’t stop there. Once again, even when God makes it clear that He is with Moses, Moses prays for those who are persecuting him. Moses not only recognizes that he is a deeply loved child of God, but he is living the security of that love by praying, in the middle of his persecution, for those who are persecuting him.
Numbers 16:22 But Moses and Aaron fell facedown and cried out, “O God, the God who gives breath to all living things, will you be angry with the entire assembly when only one man sins.
Lord, Thank You for this day, for this scripture, for the example of Moses. Thank You for Your deep, fierce love of Your children, and for the fact that, when we accept and live out that status of beloved child, we can pray for others on an entirely different level. Help us, Lord. Draw us closer. Amen.
Numbers 16:44-45 …the LORD said to Moses, “Get away from this assembly so I can put an end to them at once.” And they fell facedown.
Have a blessed day.
A way to move forward…. (devo reflection)
Numbers 15:1-2 The LORD said to Moses, “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘After you enter the land I am giving you as a home….’”
Numbers 15, to me, seems to be about forgiveness. God was so angry with the Israelites and their whining and disobedience in Numbers 14 that He was ready to wipe them all out and start over with Moses. So Numbers 15 seems to be a way to move forward.
Numbers 15:17-18 The LORD said to Moses, “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘When you enter the land to which I am taking you….’”
In both of the passages above, God reminds the Israelites that they WILL see the Promised Land as a people. He hasn’t cut them off completely, though not all will be allowed into the Promised Land. He hasn’t turned His back on them and left them to their own devices. In the passage below, He reminds them that He will continue to be with them “Throughout the generations to come.” Thank You, Lord.
Numbers 15:37-38 The LORD said to Moses, “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: Throughout the generations to come….
Lord, Thank You for this day, for this scripture, for Your forgiveness. Thank You for not turning Your back on Your people. Thank You for Your fierce love and fathomless mercy. Draw us closer. Amen.
Numbers 15:41 I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt to be your God. I am the LORD your God.
Have a blessed day.
A heart so focused…. (devo reflection)
Numbers 14:12 “I will strike them down with plague and destroy them, but I will make you into a nation greater and stronger than they.”
If I were Moses’s mother, I would be very proud of his spiritual growth. He’s come a long way from asking God to “Please send someone else” (Exodus 4:13). God has offered Moses the opportunity to be a founding father of Israel, on par with Abraham and Isaac. He is willing to wipe out all the Israelites and start over with Moses.
Numbers 14:13 Moses said to the LORD, “Then the Egyptians will hear about it! By Your power You brought these people from among them.”
But Moses doesn’t even appear to consider the offer. His heart is so focused on shining God’s light and caring for God’s people, that he launches immediately into the reasons why God should show mercy (because it will diminish His glory—the Egyptians will assume He isn’t powerful enough—and because showing mercy to the Israelites will show His grace and love). There seems to be no thought at all about what Moses might gain from the situation, showing a true servant’s heart.
Numbers 14:15-16 “If You put all these people to death…the nations who heard this report…will say, “The LORD was not able…, so He slaughtered them in the wilderness.’”
Lord, Thank You for this day, for this scripture, for this glimpse into the heart of one of Your servants. Help us to always focus on shining Your light and nurturing Your people, with no thought to our own egos or personal gain. Draw us closer. Amen.
Numbers 14:19 “In accordance with Your great love, forgive the sin of these people, just as You have pardoned them from the time they left Egypt until now.”
Have a blessed day.
The biggest difference…. (devo reflection)
Numbers 14:2 All the Israelites grumbled against Moses and Aaron, and the whole assembly said to them, “If only we had died in Egypt! Or in this wilderness!”
As I was reading Numbers 14 this morning, thinking once again how much I am like the Israelites at times, my sweet Savior whispered to my heart, “You are not the Israelites.” That got my attention, and I thought, “Cool. Now I know what I’ll write about today.” But trying to articulate my thoughts has been incredibly difficult.
Numbers 14:3 “Why is the LORD bringing us to this land only to let us fall by the sword?…Wouldn’t it be better for us to go back to Egypt?”
The Israelites wanted an easy road. Who wouldn’t? But I know we live in a fallen world, and that it isn’t always going to be easy. The Israelites railed against God. But I’ve gone to God before, expressing my anger at life’s unfairness. The biggest difference I can see between us is that the Israelites would have gone back to Egypt, to slavery, if given the chance, and I would NEVER walk away from my Savior. Thank You, Jesus.
Numbers 14:9 “Only do not rebel against the LORD. And do not be afraid of the people of the land, because we will devour them. Their protection is gone, but the LORD is with us. Do not be afraid of them.”
Lord, Thank You for this day, for this scripture, for this reminder that I am NOT like the Israelites in a very crucial way. Thank You that I can be honest with You about my anger and frustration, but that my trust in You is greater than anything else. Thank You for my absolute trust in You and in Your promises such as Hebrews 13:5 (…”Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you”) and Romans 8:28 (And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose). Thank You for drawing me closer. Always. Amen.
Numbers 14:12 The LORD said to Moses, “How long will these people treat Me with contempt? How long will they refuse to believe in Me, in spite of all the signs I have performed among them?”
Have a blessed day.
God’s presence and promise…. (devo reflection)
Numbers 13:1-2 The LORD said to Moses, “Send some men to explore the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the Israelites….”
Once again I find myself in a precarious position when it comes to judging the Israelites. God promised to give Canaan to the Israelites, and yet, they allow themselves to doubt. It would be so easy for me to think them foolish. God PROMISED them the land. Why would they waste even a second doubting Him?
Numbers 13:27-28 They gave Moses this account: “We went into the land to which you sent us, and it does flow with milk and honey! … But the people who live there are powerful, and the cities are fortified and very large….”
But then I think of my own behavior. God has promised never to leave me, never to forsake me. He has assured me He is making a way, even if I cannot yet perceive it, but how many times have I doubted? How often have I allowed fear to take the lead?
Numbers 13:30 But Caleb quieted the people before Moses and said, “Let us go up at once and occupy it, for we are able to overcome it.”
Lord, Thank You for this day, for this scripture, for Your steadfast presence and the promise that You are making a way in my wilderness, that You are working, You are in control, even if I can’t perceive it. Forgive me when, like the Israelites, I doubt and fear, even though You have assured me of Your sovereignty. Help me to trust and obey and not doubt. Draw me closer. Amen.
Numbers 13:31 But the men who had gone up with him said, “We can’t attack those people; they are stronger than we are.”
Have a blessed day.
Echoes…. (devo reflection)
Numbers 12:1 Miriam and Aaron began to talk against Moses….
I clearly see a parallel in Numbers 12 between Moses and Jesus. I was surprised when commentary didn’t mention the similarities. First, like Jesus, Moses does not spring to his own defense when he is falsely accused. He knows who he is and trusts God to know his heart. Jesus’s response, found in all four gospels, to Pilate’s question about whether He is king of the Jews is simply, “You say that I am….” Moses simply doesn’t answer his accusers at all.
Numbers 12:7 But this is not true of my servant Moses; he is faithful in all my house.
The first words Moses speaks are in Numbers 12:13, where he prays for the healing of Miriam’s leprosy, a condition brought on her as punishment for her false accusation, reminding me of Jesus, as He was dying, praying for the soldiers casting lots for His clothes. “Forgive them Father, for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34).
Numbers 12:13 So Moses cried out to the LORD, “Please, God, heal her!”
Lord, Thank You for this day, for this scripture, for the echo of Jesus’s example that I see in Moses’s behavior. Thank You for the reminder to trust that You know who I am, even when I am maligned by others. Thank You for the love and hope that comes from praying for others, even those who persecute me (Matt 5:44). Help me to shine Your light, spread Your peace, love, and hope through my actions and reactions. Help me never to lose sight of the fact that You know my heart and You will fight for me (Exodus 14:14). Draw me closer. Amen.
Numbers 12:15 So Miriam was confined outside the camp for seven days, and the people did not move on till she was brought back.
Have a blessed day.