Rambling Through Scripture

      Have you ever set out to do something that was seemingly impossible?  Have you been criticized, and looked down upon because you took a challenging step and yet seemingly failed while others stayed safely within their comfort zone?  A story in the Christian scriptures speaks of someone who did just this.  The man that I speak of was Peter.  He took a risk and a chance and it seemingly ended in failure.  Though there was not any criticism of Peter at the time, I have heard much criticism of Peter since.      The story goes like this; Jesus sent his disciples across the sea and instructed them that he would catch up with them.   Though odd, because if they have the boat how is Jesus going to catch up to them, the disciples climbed in a boat and set sail for the other side of the sea.   A short way into their travels a storm hits and they are being tossed about in the boat.   Jesus comes along in...

When we last looked at chapter 14 the Israelites had listened to the spies who said that they could not take the Promise Land.   For that God said they would not be allowed into the Promise Land and would wander until everyone 20 years old and older was dead. Hearing this the Israelites decided to take it upon themselves to go into the Promise Land.   So they got up early to go into the Promise Land on their own.   The figured that beings they sinned they should make up for it and go against what God had said.   Trading one wrong for another wrong.   Moses warned them not to go.   That if they went they would be defeated because God was not with them.   They ignored him and went to the promise land.   We see at the end of the chapter they were soundly beaten back by the enemy. Application There are doors that are open that we must be willing to step through when they are open.   For many reasons we don’t act on what God has asked us to do...

Numbers 13 and 14 tells the story of the spies going into the land God had promised Israel and the results of the report that the spies brought back.   In this story we find the reason why the Israelites wandered the desert for 40 years.   In chapter 13 Moses sends out the spies.   They spent 40 days exploring the land.   The fact is it had been just over 2 years sense they left Egypt.   They had been in the desert longer then was intended already for their disobedience.   The Israelites were just outside the area that God had promised them. This is evident by the fact that they sent spies in.   Today in the Army we call them scouts.   They look at the terrain and the enemy and send information back to the command so the command can make a decision on how to assault.   Such was the purpose of these spies. We see in Chapter 13 that the reports start off being pretty positive.   It is a land that flows with milk and honey and they even br...

There was a time in my career that I had a leader that was not considered the best leader that the unit had ever had.  I found myself joining in the complaints of others concerning this individual instead of simply being a sounding board and encouraging prayers for them.  Not unlike what was taking place in this chapter.  God convicted me and I went to the individual and sought forgiveness even though they were not aware of what I was doing. We see that Moses, unlike some of the leaders we have today, is a great example of a great leader in this chapter.   We also have an example in this chapter of poor leadership. The chapter opens with Miriam and Aaron (Aaron is the chief priest) complaining about Moses.   Their complaint had to do with who Moses was married to and they were being insubordinate towards his leadership.   Essentially they were saying, "What makes him so special hasn’t God spoken through us also." Their complaints got God’s attenti...

In This chapter we find the mention of manna again but what it deals with mainly is the people’s desire for meat.   Within this story there are several things going on.   The chapter starts out with the people complaining and God sending fire raining down.   We then see Moses prayed and the fire died down. What makes this fact so interesting it is that we see a few sentences latter Moses is saying he can’t handle the people and just wants for God to kill him.   For those who have heard of suicide by cop this seems that Moses was seeking suicide by God.  God does not kill him but tells him to bring 70 leaders and gives a part of the spirit that he poured out on Moses to these 70 leaders.  In doing this it divides the power so that Moses is not dealing with all the people himself.  On the surface it seems like a simple complaint concerning food.   Why shouldn’t they complain that all they had to eat was manna.   Now I understand a bit about ...

Chapter 10 seems to be a chapter for the musician and the one that is interested in military history. This chapter is chocked full of music for the musician and military history.   You see military precision in this chapter.   The first half of the chapter God has Moses make some silver trumpets.   How many musicians would not love a 100% silver trumpet.   The trumpet here was intended for the same purpose it is used for today in the Army. We see that God instructs Moses about the different type of sounds to play from the trumpet.   As I read this chapter I reflected on the number of formations that I have been a part of where the trumpet is used to signal the various movements from the sound for the adjutant to the movement of troops.   Each note, each fanfare, each sound has meaning.   So it was for the trumpets that Moses used to assemble the people. The rest of the chapter deals with the movement.   The trumpet we see signaled the time to...

In chapter 9 there are two sections, one dealing with the Passover the other dealing with the Israelites movement through the desert. In the first section dealing with the Passover we see nothing significant spiritually that we have not talked about when dealing with the Passover before.   What is significant is the fact that the Israelites are now entering their second year since leaving Egypt.   The first Passover was celebrated the night they left Egypt.   We see in chapter 9 that God has come to Moses and reminded him that the Passover was to be celebrated yearly at the same time.   So we see the Israelites are instructed to celebrate the Passover. There are two significant added rules to the Passover.   1. Those who are considered unclean or who are traveling can celebrate the Passover in the second month instead of the first month.   2.   Those that refuse to celebrate the Passover but are not considered unclean are to be excluded from the peo...

In this chapter we have two sections.   Section one deals with setting up the lamp stand.   Section two deals with the preparing the Levites for the LORD’s work. The lamp stand was hammered out of Gold and was to be set up so that it would light the area in front of it. I find this interesting for it would seem obvious that you would want to light the area in front but I think that it is also representative of moving forward of not looking back.   We read in scripture that God’s word is a lamp to our feet.   When shining a light you point it in the direction you are going. The Levites were set aside for the LORD’s work.   We read earlier and it is reiterated here that they were bought and were a substitute for all the first born males of Israel.   To consider the Levites clean there were things that the Levites were to do personally.  There were other requirements that Moses was responsible to ensure the Levites were considered clean. Moses took ...

Chapter 7 is a long chapter most of it is  redundant as it describes how each tribe's leader brought their gifts to the tabernacle. The chapter begins with the blessing of the tent and all the pieces of  the tabernacle.  This is followed by the Israelites bring their offerings to  the tent of meetings.  Majority of the chapter is essentially the same thing  as each tribe brings the same gifts over the next twelve days. What struck me in this was the importance of the offerings.  The offerings  were intended to allow the Levites to be able to do the work of the  ministry.  Remember the Levites responsibility was to the Tent of Meeting  and ministry to the people of Israel.  They were not out making a living  this was their living.  What we need to understand here is that this was just an offering.  We will  see later that this is different from the tithe. Application As a minister I am aware of tho...

The end of Numbers chapter 6 are some of my favorite verses. What we have in these verses is the blessing that the LORD gave to Moses for Israel.   I like how these verses read in God's Word translation reads.  "The LORD said to Moses, "Tell Aaron and his sons, 'This is how you will bless the Israelites.  Say to them:  The LORD will bless you and watch over you.  The LORD will smile on you and be kind to you.  The LORD will look on you with favor and give you peace.'  "So whenever they use my name to bless the Israelites, I will bless them." Notice that it does not just say the LORD bless you it has the word will added in there.   This is important because it conveys the active voice of the words, bless, smile and look.   God’s blessings, smile and looking on the Israelites is ongoing.   It is not a onetime thing. The LORD will bless….   The LORD will smile….   The LORD will look…. Now one of the interesting points abou...

     In Numbers chapter 6 God addresses the taking of vows, specifically taking a vow as a Nazirite.    A Nazirite was an individual, man or woman, who chose to be set aside or dedicated to the LORD.   The Nazirite vow was a matter of choice not obligation by a specific tribe.   When one takes a vow to be a Nazirite they are to:      1.      Never drink wine, liquor, vinegar made from wine or liquor or any kind of grape juice.            a.  Never eat fresh grapes or raisins            b.   Never eat anything that comes from a grapevine not even grape seeds or skins      2.      No razor may touch their heads during the entire time that they are dedicated to the LORD as Nazirites (Their long hair was a sign of dedication to the Lord).    ...