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Numbers 1-5
Numbing Numberings
and Holiness
Psalm 21:1-7 What Is Your Heart's Desire?
1.“The king rejoices in Your strength, Yahweh! How greatly he rejoices in Your salvation!2.You have given him his heart's desire, and have not withheld the request of his lips. Selah.3.For you meet him with the blessings of goodness. You set a crown of fine gold on his head.4.He asked life of You, You gave it to him, even length of days forever and ever.5.His glory is great in Your salvation. You lay honor and majesty on him.6.For You make him most blessed forever. You make him glad with joy in Your presence.7.For the king trusts in Yahweh. Through the hesed/loyal love of the Most High, he shall not be moved."Observations
21:1-2.David rejoices in God's deliverance/salvation of him from his enemies (21:8-13 elaborate), and the blessings of God, answering his requests and giving him the desires of his heart.
21:3.
God intensively, intentionally and continually (Piel Imperfect verb) responds to His servants with bunches of good blessings.
21:6.
The chief blessing, from David's perspective, is joy in the presence of God, which yields peace, security, and stability.
Application
If God gave you all that you ask for, would you be happy and joyful? For how long? Are you asking for the right things?
Prayer
Most High God, I praise you for being my loyal Defender and Blesser; may my highest desire be You. Amen.
Proverbs 6:1-5 It's Never Too Late to Do the Right Thing
1.“My son, if you have become collateral for your neighbor, if you have struck your hands in pledge for a stranger;2.You are trapped by the words of your mouth. You are ensnared with the words of your mouth.3.Do this now, my son, and deliver yourself, seeing you have come into the hand of your neighbor. Go, humble yourself. Press your plea with your neighbor.4.Give no sleep to your eyes, nor slumber to your eyelids.5.Free yourself, like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, like a bird from the snare of the fowler.Observation
6:1-5.We all make mistakes and do things or get ourselves in situations that aren't the wisest. When we become aware of our folly, we should take immediate action to make it right, even if we look silly in extracting ourselves from the situation.
Application
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, but if you're in a fix, do whatever it takes to fix it.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, help me walk in the way of wisdom, and if I mess up, give me grace to make it right. Thanks. Amen.
Numbers 1-5 Numbing Numberings and Holiness
Exodus covered about a year; Leviticus a month; Numbers, about 39 years to take what should have been a dozen day journey to the Promised Land. (And it wasn't because Moses was a guy who wouldn't stop and ask for directions.) The wilderness detour was for doubt and disobedience. Don't do likewise. If you missed the blessing and cursing section of Leviticus 26 (last post) then skip this post to read and absorb that crucial chapter. (Numbers 13-14 is worth the price of this whole book).
Numbers 1 Numbering the Warriors
1.Yahweh spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the Tent of Meeting, on the first day of the second month, in the second year after they had come out of the land of Egypt, saying,2."Take a census of all the congregation of the children of Israel, by their families, by their fathers' houses, according to the number of the names, every male, one by one;3.from twenty years old and upward, all who are able to go out to war in Israel. You and Aaron shall number them by their divisions.4.With you there shall be a man of every tribe; everyone head of his fathers' house.5.These are the names of the men who shall stand with you...16.These are those who were called of the congregation, the princes of the tribes of their fathers; they were the heads of the thousands of Israel.17.Moses and Aaron took these men who are mentioned by name.20.The children of Reuben, Israel`s firstborn, their generations, by their families, by their fathers` houses, according to the number of the names, by their polls, every male from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go to war;21.Reuben 46,500; Simeon; 59,300; Gad 45,650; Judah 64,600; Issachar 54,400; Zebulun 57,400; Joseph, the children of Ephraim 40,500; Manasseh 32,200; Benjamin 35,400; Dan 62,700; Asher 41,500; Naphtali 53,400; Total 603,55047.But the Levites were not numbered among them.48.For Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,49.Only the tribe of Levi you shall not number50.but appoint the Levites over the tent of the testimony: they shall carry the tent, and all the furniture ...and shall encamp around the tent.51.the Levites shall take it down; and shall set it up: and the stranger who comes near shall be put to death.53.But the Levites shall encamp round about the tent of the testimony, that there be no wrath on the congregation of the children of Israel:54.the children of Israel did all that Yahweh commanded Moses.
Observations
1:3.Now you know why the book is called Numbers. It starts with the numbering of the male Israelites over the age of 19 who would be used by God to punish the idolaters who currently occupied the Promised Land, and thus fulfill the promise made to Abe in Genesis 15.
1:5.
God knows who the leaders are; so did the community.
1:33-35.
Ephraim was more populous than big brother Manasseh, in accord with Jacob's blessing (Gen 48:19).
1:47.
The Levites weren't numbered to go to war because their job was to take care of and guard the Tabernacle.
Numbers 2 Campsite Setup
1.Yahweh spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying,2.The children of Israel shall encamp every man by his own standard, with the ensigns of their fathers` houses: over against the tent of meeting shall they encamp round about.3.Those who encamp on the east side...34.Thus did the children of Israel; according to all that Yahweh commanded Moses, so they encamped by their standards, and so they set forward, everyone by their families, according to their fathers` houses.Observation
2:1-3.A picture is worth 696 words. God grouped the tribes together by kinship (descenders of Leah, Rachel, etc). There is purpose in His instructions that isn't always obvious.
Numbers 3 Levite Family Job Descriptions
1.Now this is the history of the generations of Aaron and Moses in the day that Yahweh spoke with Moses in Mount Sinai.2.These are the names of the sons of Aaron: Nadab the firstborn, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.3.These are the names of the sons of Aaron, the priests who were anointed, whom he consecrated to minister in the priest`s office.4.Nadab and Abihu died before Yahweh, when they offered strange fire before Yahweh6.“Bring the tribe of Levi near, and set them before Aaron the priest, that they may minister to him.7.They shall keep his charge, and the charge of the whole congregation before the tent of meeting, to do the service of the tent.”12.I, behold, I have taken the Levites from among the children of Israel instead of all the firstborn 13 for all the firstborn are mine; on the day that I struck all the firstborn in the land of Egypt I made holy to me all the firstborn in Israel, both man and animal; mine they shall be: I am Yahweh.15.“Number the children of Levi by their fathers` houses, by their families: every male from a month old and upward shall you number them."16.Moses numbered them according to the word of Yahweh, as he was commanded.17.These were the sons of Levi by their names: Gershon, and Kohath, and Merari.21.Of Gershon 750023.The families of the Gershonites shall encamp behind the tent westward.25.The charge of the sons of Gershon in the tent of meeting shall be the tent...27.Of Kohath 8600 keeping the charge of the sanctuary.29.The families of the sons of Kohath shall encamp on the side of the tent southward.31.Their charge shall be the ark, and the table, and the lamp stand, and the altars, and the vessels of the sanctuary...32.Merari... the oversight of those who keep the charge of the sanctuary. 6200... they shall encamp on the side of the tent northward.36.The appointed charge of the sons of Merari shall be the boards of the tent, and the bars of it, and the pillars of it...38.Those who encamp before the tent eastward, before the tent of meeting toward the sunrise, shall be Moses, and Aaron and his sons, keeping the charge of the sanctuary for the charge of the children of Israel; and the stranger who comes near shall be put to death.39.All who were numbered of the Levites, were 22,000
43.All the firstborn males according to the number of names, from a month old and upward, of those who were numbered of them, were 22,273.44.Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,45.Take the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the children of Israel, and the cattle of the Levites instead of their cattle; and the Levites shall be mine: I am Yahweh.46.For the redemption of the two hundred seventy-three of the firstborn of the children of Israel, that are over and above [the number of] the Levites,47.you shall take five shekels apiece48.and you shall give the money, with which the odd number of them is redeemed, to Aaron and to his sons.49.Moses took the redemption-money from those who were over and above those who were redeemed by the Levites
Observations
3:4.Just like Jacob's first two son's forfeited their birthright blessings, so Aaron's first two sons, Nadab and Abihu, forfeited the blessing of priesthood, even though they were consecrated priests!
3:11-39.
Only the sons of Aaron were priests. The other labor was divided among the tribe of Levi, and camping places are assigned, with the eastward honor going to Moses and Aaron.
3:40-47.
The Levites were taken by God instead of the firstborn, which God owned in return for passing over them in the plague. The extra firstborn over the number of Levites were redeemed for cash.
Numbers 4 Packing Instructions
1.Yahweh spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying,2.Take the sum of the sons of Kohath from among the sons of Levi, by their families, by their fathers` houses,3.from thirty years old and upward even until fifty years old, all who enter on the service, to do the work in the tent of meeting.4.This is the service of the sons of Kohath in the tent of meeting5.when the camp sets forward, Aaron shall go in, and his sons, and they shall take down the veil of the screen, and cover the ark of the testimony with it,6.and shall put a covering of sealskin...15.When Aaron and his sons have made an end of covering the sanctuary, and all the furniture of the sanctuary, as the camp is set forward; after that, the sons of Kohath shall come to bear it: but they shall not touch the sanctuary, lest they die.49.According to the commandment of Yahweh they were numbered by Moses, everyone according to his service, and according to his burden: thus were they numbered of him, as Yahweh commanded Moses.Observation
4:3.The Levites only served from age 30-50. Prime time. (8:24 indicates age 25 as a mustering or apprenticeship).
Numbers 5 Purity Instructions
1.Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,2.Command the children of Israel, that they put out of the camp every leper, and everyone who has an issue, and whoever is unclean by the dead:3.both male and female shall you put out, outside of the camp shall you put them; that they not defile their camp, in the midst whereof I dwell.4.The children of Israel did so, and put them out outside of the camp; as Yahweh spoke to Moses, so did the children of Israel.5.Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,6.Speak to the children of Israel, When a man or woman shall commit any sin that men commit, so as to trespass against Yahweh, and that soul shall be guilty;7.then he shall confess his sin which he has done: and he shall make restitution for his guilt in full, and add to it the fifth part of it, and give it to him in respect of whom he has been guilty.8.But if the man have no kinsman to whom restitution may be made for the guilt, the restitution for guilt which is made to Yahweh shall be the priest`s; besides the ram of the atonement, whereby atonement shall be made for him.
13.and a man lie with her carnally, and it be hid from the eyes of her husband, and be kept close, and she is defiled, and there be no witness against her, and she isn`t taken in the act;14.and the spirit of jealousy come on him...15.... meal-offering of jealousy...16.The priest shall bring her near, and set her before Yahweh:17.and the priest shall take holy water in an earthen vessel; and of the dust that is on the floor of the tent the priest shall take, and put it into the water.18.... the water of bitterness that causes the curse.19.(NIV-31) Then the priest shall put the woman under oath and say to her, “If no other man has had sexual relations with you and you have not gone astray and become impure while married to your husband, may this bitter water that brings a curse not harm you.20.But if you have gone astray while married...21.here the priest is to put the woman under this curse—“may the LORD cause you to become a curse among your people when he makes your womb miscarry and your abdomen swell.22.... Then the woman is to say, “Amen. So be it.”23.“‘The priest is to write these curses on a scroll and then wash them off into the bitter water.24.He shall make the woman drink the bitter water that brings a curse27.If she has made herself impure...28.If, however, the woman has not made herself impure, but is clean, she will be cleared of guilt and will be able to have children. 30... The priest is to have her stand before the LORD and is to apply this entire law to her.31.The husband will be innocent of any wrongdoing, but the woman will bear the consequences of her sin.’”(NIV)
Observations
5:3.Beware of being holier than God. God is concerned about purity and preventing contamination of the group, above the immediate feelings of the individual. He is also concerned about the individual and in Leviticus provided procedures for lepers et. al.
5:6-7.
Crime isn't supposed to pay. Restitution, plus 20%, plus the cost of the ram, made it expensive. It is interesting that only two commandments are mentioned, prohibitions against stealing, and adultery. Confession and restitution plus 20% should restore unity In the community. The process in the next verses was designed to restore the relationship where possible.
5:12-31.
The information presented makes more sense in the context of a "mysterious" pregnancy, but the text doesn't state that. The death penalty (Lev 20:10) isn't mentioned, possibly due to lack of the guy, and witnesses. The process is designed to heighten the guilt, but the curse comes from God mediated by the actions and written and spoken words of the priest. The trial by ordeal lets God execute judgment. It looks like the process is unfair to women, but it is a form of protection and proof of innocence for the faithful wife.
Application
Individual and corporate purity and holiness are always required for experiencing the blessings of the presence of God.
Prayer
Holy God, may I never resent Your commands, but embrace them as the means of blessing. Amen.
Digging Deeper
God in a nutshell: God is about order and holiness, not random confusion. He will discipline the disobedient regardless of how privileged they are (Nadab).Us in a nutshell: We owe God for our existence, redemption, and daily bread. If we walk in His ways life will be sweet; if not, bitter.