365 Reflections

Numbers 16:43–47 (ESV) And Moses and Aaron came to the front of the tent of meeting, 44 and the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 45 “Get away from the midst of this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment.” And they fell on their faces. 46 And Moses said to Aaron, “Take your censer, and put fire on it from off the altar and lay incense on it and carry it quickly to the congregation and make atonement for them, for wrath has gone out from the LORD; the plague has begun.” 47 So Aaron took it as Moses said and ran into the midst of the assembly. And behold, the plague had already begun among the people. And he put on the incense and made atonement for the people. In this strange moment we see something revealed through Moses to teach us about Jesus. Incredibly, after the Earth opens and swallows the rebels from the beginning of this chapter, the people of Israel have the audacity to complain against Moses for "killing" the Lord's people. How unreal.  The Lord

To be in charge is a difficult thing. To be in charge of God's people is a very difficult thing. We have surrounding the horrible sequence of events in Numbers 13-14, where Israel forfeited their heritage through doubt and unbelief, tow incidents in which Moses is challenged in his authority and leadership by those who were close to him. In Numbers 12 it was his own family - Aaron and Miriam. Now In Numbers 16 is is the followers of Korah of the Kohath clan and the sons of Reuben. Numbers 16:1–3 (ESV) Now Korah the son of Izhar, son of Kohath, son of Levi, and Dathan and Abiram the sons of Eliab, and On the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took men. 2 And they rose up before Moses, with a number of the people of Israel, 250 chiefs of the congregation, chosen from the assembly, well-known men. 3 They assembled themselves together against Moses and against Aaron and said to them, “You have gone too far! For all in the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the Lord is a

Numbers 15 ends with something that appears out of place. God instructs the Israelites to tie tassels to the four corners of their garments with a blue cord woven into them. These tassels are to remind the Israelites of the laws of their God. Numbers 15:37–41 (ESV) The LORD said to Moses, 38 “Speak to the people of Israel, and tell them to make tassels on the corners of their garments throughout their generations, and to put a cord of blue on the tassel of each corner. 39 And it shall be a tassel for you to look at and remember all the commandments of the LORD , to do them, not to follow after your own heart and your own eyes, which you are inclined to whore after. 40 So you shall remember and do all my commandments, and be holy to your God. 41 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.” While this command may seem random for Numbers 15, it is not. The Israelites had just followed through on God's commands for the

Numbers 15:30–31 (ESV) But the person who does anything with a high hand, whether he is native or a sojourner, reviles the Lord , and that person shall be cut off from among his people. 31 Because he has despised the word of the Lord and has broken his commandment, that person shall be utterly cut off; his iniquity shall be on him.” This is now the second time we hear about the stipulations for those who sin in "high handed" ways. There is to be no reconciliation, no forgiveness, and no chance at right standing with God for these people. The word in Hebrew for "high hand" literally means to raise a fist up to heaven. It would seem that natural tendency to pose in such a way when men hate God has been around for thousands of years.  But what do we learn from this strange stipulation? I learn most of all this fact: God knows there will always be those who completely and utterly disregard Him. We should not be surprised when they appear in our lives as well.

For all the attention Numbers 13-14 get, we miss a huge blessing if we do not read on to Numbers 15. Yes Numbers 13-14 were a defining moment for Israel. It was a stain on their history. It separated the winners from the doubters. The incident of Kadesh Barnea has been preached about to many a congregation who has been tempted to stop believing God for more, better and higher levels of effectiveness. It has encouraged many Christians to stay strong in faith and not doubt even when facing the giants in their lives. But let's be honest. We have all had our own personal or community failures like that of the Numbers 13-14 events. Sad to say we have not always believed God as we should. Some of us live with regrets based on past mistakes. But let us not lose sight of this one thing: God will do what He said He would do. As quickly as judgment comes upon the rebellious generation, God has a renewed word for the generation to come: Numbers 15:1–5 (ESV)   The Lord spoke to Moses

Numbers 14:39–40 (ESV) When Moses told these words to all the people of Israel, the people mourned greatly. 40 And they rose early in the morning and went up to the heights of the hill country, saying, “Here we are. We will go up to the place that the Lord has promised, for we have sinned.” This is the last segment of the defining moment in Numbers 14 for the generation that would die in the wilderness. Why were they to die in the wilderness? Because they disobeyed the voice of the Lord. They were told to get take the land. Then they asked to spy int out (see Deuteronomy 1). They came back fearful and disobedient to God's voice. God brings judgment. The men who spread the bad report died of plague. God tells the nation through Moses that all those 20 years old and older will die in the desert. Their response is very revealing. They "mourn greatly." Then they do an about face and decide to go into the land. Surely this is of the Lord, He had just told them to go.

What made Joshua different? When the rubber hit the road and it was time to act on God's promise for the land, only Joshua and Caleb were ready to see God's purpose fulfilled in their lives. I discussed Caleb in the last post. But now, what about Joshua? Numbers 14:5–9 (ESV) Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the assembly of the congregation of the people of Israel. 6 And Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had spied out the land, tore their clothes 7 and said to all the congregation of the people of Israel, “The land, which we passed through to spy it out, is an exceedingly good land. 8 If the LORD delights in us, he will bring us into this land and give it to us, a land that flows with milk and honey. 9 Only do not rebel against the LORD. And do not fear the people of the land, for they are bread for us. Their protection is removed from them, and the LORD is with us; do not fear them.” I cannot separate the Num

What is it about us? Why are we so prone to negative thinking? Numbers 13:1–3 (ESV) The LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Send men to spy out the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the people of Israel. From each tribe of their fathers you shall send a man, every one a chief among them.” 3 So Moses sent them from the wilderness of Paran, according to the command of the LORD, all of them men who were heads of the people of Israel. Moses sends the leaders of the tribal families of Israel into the promised land. This land that was promised according to the covenant God made with Abraham back in Genesis 15. It's already been agreed upon. There's no doubt, according to God, Israel will possess this land.  But even the spying out of the land was a step in the wrong direction. Numbers 13 makes it sound like spying was God's idea. But all Numbers 13 is doing is picking up a conversation recorded in Deuteronomy between Moses and the people.  Deuteronomy 1:22–25 (ESV)