365 Reflections

In Numbers 28, God reemphasizes the sacrifices required of His people to dwell with Him. One this is abundantly clear, there will be a major amount of sacrifice required. Numbers 28:1–5 (ESV) The LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Command the people of Israel and say to them, ‘My offering, my food for my food offerings, my pleasing aroma, you shall be careful to offer to me at its appointed time.’ 3 And you shall say to them, This is the food offering that you shall offer to the LORD: two male lambs a year old without blemish, day by day, as a regular offering. 4 The one lamb you shall offer in the morning, and the other lamb you shall offer at twilight; 5 also a tenth of an ephah of fine flour for a grain offering, mixed with a quarter of a hin of beaten oil. Think of this. Every day two lambs would be sacrificed. It was God once again making clear, there will be blood required for man to dwell with Him. Through the sacrifices Israel was to learn how much sin cost and how important...

Numbers 27:15–17 (ESV)  Moses spoke to the LORD, saying, 16 “Let the LORD, the God of the spirits of all flesh, appoint a man over the congregation 17 who shall go out before them and come in before them, who shall lead them out and bring them in, that the congregation of the LORD may not be as sheep that have no shepherd.” When Moses is reminded that he will not enter the land according to the Lord's word concerning his disobedience to God at the waters of Meribah, his first inclination is not to beg for God to reconsider but for God to find the right man to shepherd the people. At the end of his ministry to God's people and in God's purpose, Moses was a shepherd at heart. He became a shepherd when he chose to identify with his people rather than enjoy the momentary pleasures of Egypt. He lived in Midian for 40 years as a shepherd understanding the tremendous amount of work required to lead flocks properly. Moses may have been raised in the luxury of a palace, but...

What if the daughters of Zelophehad had never asked their question? Numbers 27:1–4 (ESV) Then drew near the daughters of Zelophehad the son of Hepher, son of Gilead, son of Machir, son of Manasseh, from the clans of Manasseh the son of Joseph. The names of his daughters were: Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. 2 And they stood before Moses and before Eleazar the priest and before the chiefs and all the congregation, at the entrance of the tent of meeting, saying, 3 “Our father died in the wilderness. He was not among the company of those who gathered themselves together against the Lord in the company of Korah, but died for his own sin. And he had no sons. 4 Why should the name of our father be taken away from his clan because he had no son? Give to us a possession among our father’s brothers.” Surely approaching Moses in the sight of 600,000 other Jewish men was intimidating. They also could have assumed that their father was cursed with no son and they were bear...

Numbers 25 ends auspiciously. The passage makes certain we know who was the man that committed the gross sin in the sight of the Lord with the Midianite woman and was struck down with her at the hand of Phinehas. Numbers 25:14 (ESV) The name of the slain man of Israel, who was killed with the Midianite woman, was Zimri the son of Salu, chief of a father’s house belonging to the Simeonites . What we know is that he is from the Simeon tribe. This is why his name and tribe are mentioned. The very next chapter is the census of the new generation. Interestingly, the tribe that has LOST the most men is also the tribe of Simeon.  Numbers 26:12–14 (ESV)   The sons of Simeon according to their clans: of Nemuel, the clan of the Nemuelites; of Jamin, the clan of the Jaminites; of Jachin, the clan of the Jachinites; 13 of Zerah, the clan of the Zerahites; of Shaul, the clan of the Shaulites. 14 These are the clans of the Simeonites, 22,200 . In the first census, the Simeonites...

The episode of Balaam has proven one thing to Israel - they cannot be cursed. Balaam tried hard to resist God but was stopped and instead followed God and blessed Israel several times. God's people cannot be cursed by the forces of this world. What a privilege. However, there is something that Balaam's people do to Israel. More specifically, it is something Israel allows to be done to them. They conform to the sexual promiscuity of Moab. Numbers 25:1–3 (ESV) While Israel lived in Shittim, the people began to whore with the daughters of Moab. 2 These invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods, and the people ate and bowed down to their gods. 3 So Israel yoked himself to Baal of Peor. And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel. This is a sad episode. As Israel is protected by God on the mountain as blessed by Balaam, they follow the foreign gods of the Moabites. Numbers 31 gives us more information: Numbers 31:16 (NLT) “These are the very ones who fo...

Balaam can do nothing but bless Israel. Despite the repeated attempts of Balak to coerce through financial gain this prophet to denounce them, Balaam has done nothing other than promote them. He has fulfilled the Word of the Lord and can do nothing less. Numbers 24:13 (ESV) ‘If Balak should give me his house full of silver and gold, I would not be able to go beyond the word of the LORD, to do either good or bad of my own will. What the LORD speaks, that will I speak’? Yet in his final oracle, Balaam's words move to the prophetic. He tells Balak that he is going to tell him what Israel will do in "latter days." Numbers 24:14 (ESV)  And now, behold, I am going to my people. Come, I will let you know what this people will do to your people in the latter days.” The prophetic words are replete with Messianic hopes: Numbers 24:17 (ESV)   I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near: a star shall come out of Jacob, and a scepter shall rise out of Israel; it shal...

Numbers 23:8–10 (ESV) How can I curse whom God has not cursed? How can I denounce whom the Lord has not denounced? 9 For from the top of the crags I see him, from the hills I behold him; behold, a people dwelling alone, and not counting itself among the nations! 10 Who can count the dust of Jacob or number the fourth part of Israel? Let me die the death of the upright, and let my end be like his!” These are the words of Balaam's first oracle to the Israelites after going with Balak's men and being paid and prepared to curse the people of God. In a stunning turn of events, Balaam can only bless those God has already blessed. This is good news and still rings true today. God ha blessed and man cannot reverse it.  Understand and remember, Balaam has been cajoled into this moment. He has been pressured financially and ceremoniously. He has been coerced by fame and notoriety. His ego has been played and he has been pandered to. For all intents and purposes, this is a slam...

Balaam has been told by God not to curse Israel. He has been told not to even travel with the men who have come to pay him to curse Israel. Yet, Balaam decides to take the better offer they present in prayer before the Lord. Make no mistake Christian, this world and the prince of the power of the air will do the same thing to you. He doesn't take your first "no" for an answer. He always comes with something more enticing. Yet God's answer and God's direction remain the same! When Balaam goes to God in prayer, God allows him to go but only to say what He gives to him for prophecy. When Balaam leaves, something seemingly strange happens in the text. Numbers 22:22 (ESV) But God’s anger was kindled because he went, and the angel of the LORD took his stand in the way as his adversary. Now he was riding on the donkey, and his two servants were with him. This looks strange on the surface. Why would got get angry at Balaam going when God told Balaam it was okay...

The story of Balaam in Numbers 22-24 is one of incredible hilarity. The prophet offered a reward to curse the blessed people of God, he is eventually is rebuked by a donkey and ultimately loses all his potential gain by blessing the Nation God has blessed in the first place. It's an important story for the movement of God's purposes in the life of Israel. It is also important for all outside of Israel to heed the God's divine prerogative to bless. The story starts out with Balak, king of Moab frightened by the potential war his land will face with what looks like an unstoppable force in the Nation of Israel. Mind you, his perspective is undaunted by the inner failures of this great nation in just the last chapter. Balak calls upon Balaam, a seer of sorts, to curse them. When Balaam seeks the Lord, the answer comes clearly: Numbers 22:12 (NLT) But God told Balaam, “Do not go with them. You are not to curse these people, for they have been blessed!” God is pulling ...