Numbers 15:22-41 - Sins, Sabbaths, and Significant Reminders

Numbers 15:22-41

Laws Concerning Unintentional Sin

22 If you sin unintentionally, and do not observe all these commandments which the LORD has spoken to Moses— 23 all that the LORD has commanded you by the hand of Moses, from the day the LORD gave commandment and onward throughout your generations— 24 then it will be, if it is unintentionally committed, without the knowledge of the congregation, that the whole congregation shall offer one young bull as a burnt offering, as a sweet aroma to the LORD, with its grain offering and its drink offering, according to the ordinance, and one kid of the goats as a sin offering. 25 So the priest shall make atonement for the whole congregation of the children of Israel, and it shall be forgiven them, for it was unintentional; they shall bring their offering, an offering made by fire to the LORD, and their sin offering before the LORD, for their unintended sin. 26 It shall be forgiven the whole congregation of the children of Israel and the stranger who dwells among them, because all the people did it unintentionally.

27 ‘And if a person sins unintentionally, then he shall bring a female goat in its first year as a sin offering. 28 So the priest shall make atonement for the person who sins unintentionally, when he sins unintentionally before the LORD, to make atonement for him; and it shall be forgiven him. 29 You shall have one law for him who sins unintentionally, for him who is native-born among the children of Israel and for the stranger who dwells among them.

Law Concerning Presumptuous Sin

30 But the person who does anything presumptuously, whether he is native-born or a stranger, that one brings reproach on the LORD, and he 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 completely cut off; his guilt shall be upon him.’”

Penalty for Violating the Sabbath (Exodus 31:12–17)

32 Now while the children of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man gathering sticks on the Sabbath day. 33 And those who found him gathering sticks brought him to Moses and Aaron, and to all the congregation. 34 They put him under guard, because it had not been explained what should be done to him.

35 Then the LORD said to Moses, “The man must surely be put to death; all the congregation shall stone him with stones outside the camp.” 36 So, as the LORD commanded Moses, all the congregation brought him outside the camp and stoned him with stones, and he died.

Tassels on Garments

37 Again the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 38 “Speak to the children of Israel: Tell them to make tassels on the corners of their garments throughout their generations, and to put a blue thread in the tassels of the corners. 39 And you shall have the tassel, that you may look upon it and remember all the commandments of the LORD and do them, and that you may not follow the harlotry to which your own heart and your own eyes are inclined, 40 and that you may remember and do all My commandments, and be holy for 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.”

This chapter ends with prohibitions on sins committed unintentionally or intentionally in proud defiance to the LORD.  Then they were to make tassels as reminders of their sin nature that leads to these sins, so that when they gazed down in humility and not in proud presumption of defiance, they would be reminded of their own heart’s bent to spiritual and bodily idolatry and immorality and turn their eyes and thoughts back to God to follow His word in holiness to please Him.  For those who unintentionally sinned (Leviticus 4:27-28) in not following the words of His commandments, they had to corporately make sacrifices to cover the sins of all that may still remain hidden as well as that hidden sin of the individual, no doubt, to atone for them all in case there were other such sins still unseen and unconfessed.  This sacrifice of atonement covered them all, both of the congregation of God’s people and the outsider among them.  Those who sinned in full knowledge of their actions, acting presumptuously in proud defiance against the word of the LORD, these who defamed God’s name were to be cast out, excommunicated from the congregation, whether of the people or outside sojourners.  The guilt of those who did such acts against His word, who despised it, who willingly broke His commandments, those were sent away from the congregation to keep from misleading others as if a cancerous outbreak (2 Timothy 2:16-17) of spiritual leprosy.  This is a picture of New Testament church discipline.  There is also a mention of deal with those breaking the sabbath rest.  We certainly do not stone anyone today for this, yet the underlying principle of denying the rest from our works to rest in those of Christ alone (Hebrews 4:4-6, 9-10, Joshua 22:4, 5, Ezekiel 20:12) and falsely teaching others it is necessary to work to earn salvation, this principle still calls for cutting the unrepentant false teaching out of the congregation (Galatians 1:8-9) as well.  God calls for holiness of the whole congregation and not just the individual.  We then see how sins are to be confessed or dealt with to keep the honor of God’s name in the congregation and how we need to have our own versions of significant tassel reminders of our proclivity to sin in body and soul, heart and mind, in our intake and meditation on His words of command in the scriptures, that we might be holy as He is holy (1 Peter 1:15-16) as well-pleasing (2 Corinthians 5:9-10, Hebrews 13:21) children.  We do these things to remind ourselves by hearing, reading, studying, and meditating on the scriptures that we might align our lives to His word and will of grace, not working our way to eternal life (Philippians 2:12-13) but working out the work of Christ in us by our choices to follow in awe of such forgiveness and grace to save us and reminding one another (Hebrews 3:13-14, 15, 4:12-13) of these things! 

Numbers 15:1-21 - Offerings in the Promised Land

Numbers 15:1-21

Laws of Grain and Drink Offerings

1 And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘When you have come into the land you are to inhabit, which I am giving to you, 3 and you make an offering by fire to the LORD, a burnt offering or a sacrifice, to fulfill a vow or as a freewill offering or in your appointed feasts, to make a sweet aroma to the LORD, from the herd or the flock, 4 then he who presents his offering to the LORD shall bring a grain offering of one-tenth of an ephah of fine flour mixed with one-fourth of a hin of oil; 5 and one-fourth of a hin of wine as a drink offering you shall prepare with the burnt offering or the sacrifice, for each lamb. 6 Or for a ram you shall prepare as a grain offering two-tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with one-third of a hin of oil; 7 and as a drink offering you shall offer one-third of a hin of wine as a sweet aroma to the LORD. 8 And when you prepare a young bull as a burnt offering, or as a sacrifice to fulfill a vow, or as a peace offering to the LORD, 9 then shall be offered with the young bull a grain offering of three-tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with half a hin of oil; 10 and you shall bring as the drink offering half a hin of wine as an offering made by fire, a sweet aroma to the LORD.

11 Thus it shall be done for each young bull, for each ram, or for each lamb or young goat. 12 According to the number that you prepare, so you shall do with everyone according to their number. 13 All who are native-born shall do these things in this manner, in presenting an offering made by fire, a sweet aroma to the LORD. 14 And if a stranger dwells with you, or whoever is among you throughout your generations, and would present an offering made by fire, a sweet aroma to the LORD, just as you do, so shall he do. 15 One ordinance shall be for you of the assembly and for the stranger who dwells with you, an ordinance forever throughout your generations; as you are, so shall the stranger be before the LORD. 16 One law and one custom shall be for you and for the stranger who dwells with you.’”

17 Again the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 18 “Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘When you come into the land to which I bring you, 19 then it will be, when you eat of the bread of the land, that you shall offer up a heave offering to the LORD. 20 You shall offer up a cake of the first of your ground meal as a heave offering; as a heave offering of the threshing floor, so shall you offer it up. 21 Of the first of your ground meal you shall give to the LORD a heave offering throughout your generations.

The LORD gave instructions through Moses to the people for their sacrifices when they entered the promised land.  It is interesting that this was after the majority of the people had been told they would never enter that land because of their sin of disbelief in God’s word of promise to them.  Only the children of these would enter that promise after forty years of wandering to contemplate their rebellion of sinful disobedience to the promise.  Instructions were detailed on how to prepare each type of sacrifice whether a “burnt offering or a sacrifice, to fulfill a vow or as a freewill offering or in your appointed feasts” so that they would offer “a sweet aroma to the LORD” in what they would give Him in thankful worship.  Our thanksgiving of service and prayer are also such sweet aromatic offerings (Philippians 4:18, Hebrews 13:15-16) to our Lord, not to appease but to please Him, just as His offering of Himself (Ephesians 5:2) on the tree of our curse (Galatians 3:13-14) was for us.  He had offered Himself as the supreme peace offering (Romans 5:1) to reconcile us to Himself (Colossians 1:20) in this ministry as our High Priest and the sacrifice itself on our behalf to cover our sins once and forever as that sweet aroma wafting up to the heavens to our Father seated there.  He did this as a sacrifice for all who come to the father through the Son as one ordinance for Jew and Gentile alike in Christ as foreshadowed in the sacrifices here for the stranger and person of God by the same sacrifice.  One law then and one continuing now in the gospel fulfilled and at last revealed (Colossians 1:26, 2 Timothy 1:10, 1 Peter 1:10-11, 12) in its full measure and meaning.  We now fulfill the same instructions by offering ourselves as living sacrifices (Romans 12:1-2) as we are conformed to His (2 Corinthians 3:18) image and worship before the throne of grace until we see His face at last, knowing we will enter that promised heavenly land when we pass from death to life in body as in our souls (John 5:24) now!  When we are there, we will be able to offer praise and worship forever and so we continue in faith to inherit the (Hebrews 6:12) promise.

Numbers 14:26-45 - Wages of Sin or Gateway to Glory

Numbers 14:26-45

Death Sentence on the Rebels

26 And the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, 27 “How long shall I bear with this evil congregation who complain against Me? I have heard the complaints which the children of Israel make against Me. 28 Say to them, As I live,’ says the LORD, ‘just as you have spoken in My hearing, so I will do to you: 29 The carcasses of you who have complained against Me shall fall in this wilderness, all of you who were numbered, according to your entire number, from twenty years old and above. 30 Except for Caleb the son of Jephunneh and Joshua the son of Nun, you shall by no means enter the land which I swore I would make you dwell in. 31 But your little ones, whom you said would be victims, I will bring in, and they shall know the land which you have despised. 32 But as for you, your carcasses shall fall in this wilderness. 33 And your sons shall be shepherds in the wilderness forty years, and bear the brunt of your infidelity, until your carcasses are consumed in the wilderness. 34 According to the number of the days in which you spied out the land, forty days, for each day you shall bear your guilt one year, namely forty years, and you shall know My rejection. 35 I the LORD have spoken this. I will surely do so to all this evil congregation who are gathered together against Me. In this wilderness they shall be consumed, and there they shall die.’”

36 Now the men whom Moses sent to spy out the land, who returned and made all the congregation complain against him by bringing a bad report of the land, 37 those very men who brought the evil report about the land, died by the plague before the LORD. 38 But Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh remained alive, of the men who went to spy out the land.

A Futile Invasion Attempt (Deuteronomy 1:41–45)

39 Then Moses told these words to all the children of Israel, and the people mourned greatly. 40 And they rose early in the morning and went up to the top of the mountain, saying, “Here we are, and we will go up to the place which the LORD has promised, for we have sinned!”

41 And Moses said, “Now why do you transgress the command of the LORD? For this will not succeed. 42 Do not go up, lest you be defeated by your enemies, for the LORD is not among you. 43 For the Amalekites and the Canaanites are there before you, and you shall fall by the sword; because you have turned away from the LORD, the LORD will not be with you.”

44 But they presumed to go up to the mountaintop. Nevertheless, neither the ark of the covenant of the LORD nor Moses departed from the camp. 45 Then the Amalekites and the Canaanites who dwelt in that mountain came down and attacked them, and drove them back as far as Hormah.

The wages of the sin of rebellion and rejection of God’s deliverance to the people of the LORD were harsh.  They refused to enter the promised land and even rebelled against the true testimony of Caleb and Joshua who not only saw the true vale of the promised land, but also had faith in God to give them victory over the adversary to enter it.  They were therefore condemned to wander for forty years until they all died and were unable to enter into that earthly paradise; only their innocent children and the two faithful witnesses who trusted and acted by faith in the promise would be allowed into that land.  Those who still desired the promised land but not the one who promised it attempted in their own strength to defeat the adversary but were defeated and denied entry for turning away from the LORD to their own efforts to gain an impossible victory over the enemy without and within.  Similarly, we only enter the kingdom of God through faith that trusts the divine person of God’s Son come as a man in the flesh () and His work alone to fulfill the promise of the gospel to enter the promised heavenly land to come.  Only Jesus can and has defeated the adversary to gain our victory (1 Corinthians 15:57) and opened the way to paradise once lost by our forbearers.  Only by trusting this narrow way from death to life (John 5:24) can we enter through Him (John 10:9, 14:6, Acts 4:12) and not die with all the others who deny Him (Mark 16:16, John 12:48) and His promises of eternal life.  When we hear the gospel, do we receive it or reject and attempt to make our own way to earn the kingdom of God by our own works which always fall short (Romans 3:23) of gaining us us entrance into the promised land of eternal paradise (Luke 23:43) with the Lord?  The alternative is to wander aimlessly through this life in the wilderness of sin apart from God and His grace of the promise, only to face death in the end without hope.  We must instead trust His word of promise as Caleb and Joshua did of the gateway of grace promised for those who take God at His word and act on it to enter that heavenly land set before us.  Why continue to disbelieve and earn the wages of sin and not turn to trust and follow the Deliverer who would lead us through the gateway to glory? 

Numbers 14:11-25 - Intercession is Required!

Numbers 14:11-25

Moses Intercedes for the People

11 Then the LORD said to Moses: “How long will these people reject Me? And how long will they not believe Me, with all the signs which I have performed among them? 12 I will strike them with the pestilence and disinherit them, and I will make of you a nation greater and mightier than they.”

13 And Moses said to the LORD: “Then the Egyptians will hear it, for by Your might You brought these people up from among them, 14 and they will tell it to the inhabitants of this land. They have heard that You, LORD, are among these people; that You, LORD, are seen face to face and Your cloud stands above them, and You go before them in a pillar of cloud by day and in a pillar of fire by night. 15 Now if You kill these people as one man, then the nations which have heard of Your fame will speak, saying, 16 ‘Because the LORD was not able to bring this people to the land which He swore to give them, therefore He killed them in the wilderness.’ 17 And now, I pray, let the power of my Lord be great, just as You have spoken, saying, 18 The LORD is longsuffering and abundant in mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression; but He by no means clears the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generation.’ 19 Pardon the iniquity of this people, I pray, according to the greatness of Your mercy, just as You have forgiven this people, from Egypt even until now.”

20 Then the LORD said: “I have pardoned, according to your word; 21 but truly, as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the LORD— 22 because all these men who have seen My glory and the signs which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have put Me to the test now these ten times, and have not heeded My voice, 23 they certainly shall not see the land of which I swore to their fathers, nor shall any of those who rejected Me see it. 24 But My servant Caleb, because he has a different spirit in him and has followed Me fully, I will bring into the land where he went, and his descendants shall inherit it. 25 Now the Amalekites and the Canaanites dwell in the valley; tomorrow turn and move out into the wilderness by the Way of the Red Sea.”

Intercession.  This was needed after the people refused to enter the promised land of God’s grace set before them after spying it out and giving a willing false report out of faithless fear.  These were about to be smitten by the LORD for their rejection of Him through their defiance of disbelief and disobedience, smitten with disease and disinherited as children of promise.  They had no excuse after witnessing the mighty hand of God in their deliverance from bondage and feeding with bread from heaven.  God was about to take them out and raise up a new people from Moses that would be even better and stronger.  Moses heard these things and pleaded with the LORD to show mercy in order to not defame His reputation after the nations witnessed His deliverance of His chosen nation.  He boldly said that the nations would not only tell the tales of their great deliverance, but then mock God by saying He was not strong enough to complete their deliverance and bring them into the promised land as if it was an uncertain declaration of a less than able diety.  He reminded Him that they knew how He met face to face with them through Moses and led them in the cloud by day and fire by night, yet would be seen as unable to keep His promise if the people were destroyed.  Of course, the LORD was capable of knowing these things and had no real intention of not keeping the promise, but this was likely the threat to demonstrate that He could do this but still would deal with the rejection and rebellion in another way, one which would pass the promise to the children of this lot instead of them for their unfaithfulness.  A similar statement was made by Jesus Christ (Mark 12:9-10, Matthew 21:43-44, Acts 13:46) to Israel again when He told them the kingdom would pass to others except for a small remnant (Romans 11:5) of this nation.  The LORD heard Moses and answered according to His predetermined plan with the abundance of mercy and grace that Moses reminded Him that is His character.  This statement of God’s power in merciful grace was brought out by the intercession of Moses for the people who would still be held accountable, yet not destroyed.  This echoes through time to the passage in 1 Corinthians 3:12-13, 14-15 where we who are God’s people in Christ are to be accountable yet not condemned for how we live for His kingdom now and into forever.  There will be loss of rewards and shame for the things we do which do not last but great rewards for the faithful words and deeds done for Him according to the first and second (Mark 12:30-31) great commandments.  In God’s great mercy He not only forgave the children of Israel then, but continues to do so now through the eternal intercession of Jesus Christ by His sacrificial lifeblood which passes over our sin now and forever!  We have been pardoned and are no longer under the curse of the Law (Hebrews 7:16, 25) which requires perfect obedience to escape judgment; Jesus has obeyed completely (Hebrews 5:8-9, Philippians 2:8) for us and accepted us by grace unearned and undeserved by His great love for we the people of His choosing.  Moses was a type of Christ to come as our intercessor, yet one with the power of an endless life (Hebrews 7:16) to make this deliverance possible as no mere man can ever accomplish for our salvation.  Yes, these things are only possible be He is the divine Son of God, equal to the Father (John 10:30) and Spirit in all but person.  This good news of His salvation, our deli by the intercession of His Son, is the final statement of God that “all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the LORD” in the face of Jesus Christ our Lord (2 Corinthians 3:18, 4:6) and Savior.  Intercession is required and Jesus the Son of God has done this once for all for all (Romans 8:34, 1 Timothy 2:5-6, Hebrews 7:25, 1 John 2:1) who repent, turn to trust His person and work on the cross, and find an entrance to the kingdom that can never be taken away! 

Numbers 14:1-10 - Stubborn Refusal or Faithful Trust?

Numbers 14:1-10

Israel Refuses to Enter Canaan

1 So all the congregation lifted up their voices and cried, and the people wept that night. 2 And all the children of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron, and the whole congregation said to them, “If only we had died in the land of Egypt! Or if only we had died in this wilderness! 3 Why has the LORD brought us to this land to fall by the sword, that our wives and children should become victims? Would it not be better for us to return to Egypt?” 4 So they said to one another, “Let us select a leader and return to Egypt.”

5 Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the assembly of the congregation of the children of Israel.

6 But 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 they spoke to all the congregation of the children of Israel, saying: “The land we passed through to spy out is an exceedingly good land. 8 If the LORD delights in us, then He will bring us into this land and give it to us, a land which flows with milk and honey.’ 9 Only do not rebel against the LORD, nor fear the people of the land, for they are our bread; their protection has departed from them, and the LORD is with us. Do not fear them.”

10 And all the congregation said to stone them with stones. Now the glory of the LORD appeared in the tabernacle of meeting before all the children of Israel.

The people complained against God as they did so against Moses and Aaron who were His spokesmen leading them out of captivity towards the promised land through the dry lands of the desert wilderness where they should have been seeking (Psalm 63:1) the LORD instead of blaming Him for harsh conditions.  Their conditions, oddly enough, were exponentially worse in the rigors of Egyptian whips and work laid on their backs, but they only saw that they had somewhat more variety in their food choices.  They let the fragments of good in Egypt blind them to their plight there as overworked slaves without the provision of God’s bounty to feed them.  They wanted to go back to Egypt when times got tough instead of praising Him and thanking Moses and Aaron for leading them to a far, far better place in the land of milk and honey promised to them.  They even thought it would have been better to die in Egypt than live through the difficult journey to the promised country to come!  How many of we who are now in Christ complain sometimes because we do not enjoy the temporary suffering (2 Corinthians 3:18, 4:17-18) on our own journeys towards that heavenly country (Hebrews 11:16) promised us in His presence at last?  Those people grumbled and longed to return to the world of sin’s bondage as some who turn to Christ will go back into the world for a form of comfort as they suffer the consequences of sins all over again because they do not seek God in times of (Hebrews 4:16) troubles and tribulations.  Remember Caleb who was a faithful witness to the good land of plenty set before them to inherit and who pleaded with the rebels not to turn from the goodness of God’s promises because He was with them and could be trusted to lead them through adversity to gain such great gain in that future land.  When these who listened but refused to hear picked up stones to kill Caleb along with Moses and Aaron, God’s presence of glory overshadowed them all to stop the rebellion and set things straight (Romans 8:28) for His glory and their good.  He still does this for His people.  We then are to trust Him and count these temporary afflictions as necessary (2 Corinthians 4:18) to the journey of faith to that promised eternal land set before us and not rebel in faithlessness by seeking to stubbornly refuse this life of sanctification by returning to our old and empty lives in bondage to the world’s sin. 

Numbers 13:1-33 - You can’t Hide your Lying, Spies

Numbers 13:1-33

Spies Sent into Canaan (Deuteronomy 1:19–33)

1 And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Send men to spy out the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the children of Israel; from each tribe of their fathers you shall send a man, every one a leader 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 children of Israel. 4 Now these were their names: from the tribe of Reuben, Shammua the son of Zaccur; 5 from the tribe of Simeon, Shaphat the son of Hori; 6 from the tribe of Judah, Caleb the son of Jephunneh; 7 from the tribe of Issachar, Igal the son of Joseph; 8 from the tribe of Ephraim, Hoshea the son of Nun; 9 from the tribe of Benjamin, Palti the son of Raphu; 10 from the tribe of Zebulun, Gaddiel the son of Sodi; 11 from the tribe of Joseph, that is, from the tribe of Manasseh, Gaddi the son of Susi; 12 from the tribe of Dan, Ammiel the son of Gemalli; 13 from the tribe of Asher, Sethur the son of Michael; 14 from the tribe of Naphtali, Nahbi the son of Vophsi; 15 from the tribe of Gad, Geuel the son of Machi.

16 These are the names of the men whom Moses sent to spy out the land. And Moses called Hoshea the son of Nun, Joshua.

17 Then Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan, and said to them, “Go up this way into the South, and go up to the mountains, 18 and see what the land is like: whether the people who dwell in it are strong or weak, few or many; 19 whether the land they dwell in is good or bad; whether the cities they inhabit are like camps or strongholds; 20 whether the land is rich or poor; and whether there are forests there or not. Be of good courage. And bring some of the fruit of the land.” Now the time was the season of the first ripe grapes.

21 So they went up and spied out the land from the Wilderness of Zin as far as Rehob, near the entrance of Hamath. 22 And they went up through the South and came to Hebron; Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai, the descendants of Anak, were there. (Now Hebron was built seven years before Zoan in Egypt.) 23 Then they came to the Valley of Eshcol, and there cut down a branch with one cluster of grapes; they carried it between two of them on a pole. They also brought some of the pomegranates and figs. 24 The place was called the Valley of Eshcol, because of the cluster which the men of Israel cut down there. 25 And they returned from spying out the land after forty days.

26 Now they departed and came back to Moses and Aaron and all the congregation of the children of Israel in the Wilderness of Paran, at Kadesh; they brought back word to them and to all the congregation, and showed them the fruit of the land. 27 Then they told him, and said: “We went to the land where you sent us. It truly flows with milk and honey, and this is its fruit. 28 Nevertheless the people who dwell in the land are strong; the cities are fortified and very large; moreover we saw the descendants of Anak there. 29 The Amalekites dwell in the land of the South; the Hittites, the Jebusites, and the Amorites dwell in the mountains; and the Canaanites dwell by the sea and along the banks of the Jordan.”

30 Then Caleb quieted the people before Moses, and said, “Let us go up at once and take possession, for we are well able to overcome it.”

31 But the men who had gone up with him said, “We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we.” 32 And they gave the children of Israel a bad report of the land which they had spied out, saying, “The land through which we have gone as spies is a land that devours its inhabitants, and all the people whom we saw in it are men of great stature. 33 There we saw the giants (the descendants of Anak came from the giants); and we were like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight.”

Moses was commanded by God to send spies into the promised land of Canaan, a leader from each tribe to represent all the people who would inhabit and that land.  They went and saw those currently inhabiting Canaan and grew very afraid as they took their eyes off the promises of God and His faithful keeping of them since they left the bondage of Egypt through the parted waters of the Red Sea.  The spies were supposed to observe and report truthfully about the numbers and strength of the inhabitants, the lay of the land itself, and to bring some fruit of the land back with them as a foretaste of what was to come.  They went and observed, and brought back grapes, pomegranates, and figs, a land that truly flows with milk and honey as promised (Exodus 3:8. 33:3), and this is its fruit.but they cowered at the prospect of attacking them because “the people who dwell in the land are strong; the cities are fortified and very large.”  The lying eyes of the spies were hidden from most who believed their fearful report that was skewed against the Almighty and His ability to deliver the land to them as promised, but Caleb was anxious to just go and take what had been promised because his eyes were filled with faith and not fear.  The bad report of the lying spies swayed the people with fear of the size and exaggerated strength of the inhabitants and they believed their fearful report lie instead of siding with God by faith in His promises as Caleb had demonstrated to them all.  We will later see (Numbers 14:34, 36-37, 38) how those who lied all died and how they brought about an aimless wandering of the rest for forty years until that faithless generation died and a new one was born to have faith in God’s ability to deliver them into the promised land at last.  They discovered that you cannot hide those lying eyes of the spies who drew back in fear from the LORD instead of forging onward by trusting His commands and promises.  May we not fear the path forward but live by faith in His love, light, and wisdom (Ephesians 5:1-2, 8, 15) in our journey to the heavenly country (Hebrews 11:13, 16) that He promised to all who trust in Christ and His work on the cross and out of the grave and not refuse to trust and follow Him (Hebrews 12:25) as He commands and leads us home.  Remember 2 Peter 3:13-14 as we anticipate that to come!

Numbers 12:1-16 - Speaking Against God’s Spokesmen

Numbers 12:1-16

Dissension of Aaron and Miriam

1 Then Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married; for he had married an Ethiopian woman. 2 So they said, “Has the LORD indeed spoken only through Moses? Has He not spoken through us also?” And the LORD heard it. 3 (Now the man Moses was very humble, more than all men who were on the face of the earth.)

4 Suddenly the LORD said to Moses, Aaron, and Miriam, “Come out, you three, to the tabernacle of meeting!” So the three came out. 5 Then the LORD came down in the pillar of cloud and stood in the door of the tabernacle, and called Aaron and Miriam. And they both went forward. 6 Then He said,

“Hear now My words:
If there is a prophet among you,
I, the LORD, make Myself known to him in a vision;
I speak to him in a dream.

7 Not so with My servant Moses;
He is faithful in all My house.

8 I speak with him face to face,
Even plainly, and not in dark sayings;
And he sees the form of the LORD.

Why then were you not afraid
To speak against My servant Moses?”

9 So the anger of the LORD was aroused against them, and He departed. 10 And when the cloud departed from above the tabernacle, suddenly Miriam became leprous, as white as snow. Then Aaron turned toward Miriam, and there she was, a leper. 11 So Aaron said to Moses, “Oh, my lord! Please do not lay this sin on us, in which we have done foolishly and in which we have sinned. 12 Please do not let her be as one dead, whose flesh is half consumed when he comes out of his mother’s womb!”

13 So Moses cried out to the LORD, saying, “Please heal her, O God, I pray!”

14 Then the LORD said to Moses, “If her father had but spit in her face, would she not be shamed seven days? Let her be shut out of the camp seven days, and afterward she may be received again.” 15 So Miriam was shut out of the camp seven days, and the people did not journey till Miriam was brought in again. 16 And afterward the people moved from Hazeroth and camped in the Wilderness of Paran.

This account is a poignant reminder why we should not talk badly about or against the men chosen by the Lord to bring His word to us and watch over our souls (Hebrews 13:17, 1 Peter 5:2-3, 5-7) for our good and His glory.  If the LORD who chose Moses is angered by such talk to defame the goodwill of those who speak for Him to the point of inducing leprosy on Miriam for her jealous comments, perhaps we should not be quick to judge the imperfections in our pastors and leaders either, let alone just out of the desire to be able to speak better for God than them as happened here.  The LORD made it clear that He had chosen Moses to speak His word to the people and he was faithful to do so; He spoke personally to Moses and gave him clear vision to understand the words of God to teach and preach them to the people.  Why should they then speak against him for being faithful and true, a servant who knew and served sincerely?  That is sin according to this scripture account.  Their repentance allowed Miriam to heal after seven days, however, because God is forgiving and merciful to our rash sins of defiance to those he has chosen to minister to us as well.  After she was healed, the people moved on.  This teaches us to move on after such an event happens and forgiveness is granted and witnessed by all.  May we who are chosen to bring His word not be haughty when accused, but humble as Moses demonstrated to us here, trusting in the Lord and His word to bring repentance and vindication by grace and mercy through His and our own forgiveness.  The goal is restoration so we can all move on together to where the Lord leads us as a congregation under the shepherding of the ones He has chosen to lead us and speak words of (Colossians 1:28-29) warning and wisdom to live by for us all.  May it be so.

Numbers 11:31-35 - True Contentment or Consequences

Numbers 11:31-35

The LORD Sends Quail

31 Now a wind went out from the LORD, and it brought quail from the sea and left them fluttering near the camp, about a day’s journey on this side and about a day’s journey on the other side, all around the camp, and about two cubits above the surface of the ground. 32 And the people stayed up all that day, all night, and all the next day, and gathered the quail (he who gathered least gathered ten homers); and they spread them out for themselves all around the camp. 

33 But while the meat was still between their teeth, before it was chewed, the wrath of the LORD was aroused against the people, and the LORD struck the people with a very great plague. 34 So he called the name of that place Kibroth Hattaavah, because there they buried the people who had yielded to craving.

35 From Kibroth Hattaavah the people moved to Hazeroth, and camped at Hazeroth.

Lust for flesh caused the people of God to despise their LORD and complain about more solid food than the heavenly manna they had been given from above, which also pointed to God’s greatest gift of the Living Bread (John 6:32-33, 48-49, 50-51) to come.  The LORD taught them a lesson about contentment to answer their discontent and longing for the earthly food of Egypt in their enslavement under sin amongst false gods there and the rigor of endless work and very little of the foods they said they missed available to slaves like them.  They merely were ungrateful and could not see the wonderful provision of their true and Living God supplying this tasty manna that was like honey in their mouths.  Therefore, the LORD sent them an overwhelming amount of quail, an awkwardly plump bird still enjoyed today, an amount so innumerable that they covered the ground all around their camp.  But as they attempted to consume the tasty birds they had coveted, it rotted in their mouths (“between their teeth”) before they could even chew it!  The wrath of God against their unthankfulness was immediate and was followed with a great plague to temper their craving for more than the best they had already been given by God to sustain them.  They buried their dead after that and moved on as the LORD led them to dwell on their sin to return to listening to Him.  Do we also desire more than what God’s provision of providential grace gives us?  Do we likewise show contempt for His care for us by complaining or seeking more that we believe we are entitled to?  We know that godliness is trusting Him and living in thankfulness so that contentment in all things is the greatest gain (1 Timothy 6:6, Philippians 4:11-12, Hebrews 13:5) we can ever possess, so why desire more than our sufficient (Job 23:12, Proverbs 30:8-9) and pleasing supply of grace in life?  Our choose is contentment in all we have or the consequences of snubbing God’s grace of provision for our daily bread, the fulfillment of which is Christ Himself as the bread from heaven for life everlasting. 

Numbers 11:16-30 - Sharing the Burden of Ministry

Numbers 11:16-30

The Seventy Elders

16 So the LORD said to Moses: “Gather to Me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom you know to be the elders of the people and officers over them; bring them to the tabernacle of meeting, that they may stand there with you. 17 Then I will come down and talk with you there. I will take of the Spirit that is upon you and will put the same upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with you, that you may not bear it yourself alone. 18 Then you shall say to the people, ‘Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow, and you shall eat meat; for you have wept in the hearing of the LORD, saying, “Who will give us meat to eat? For it was well with us in Egypt.” Therefore the LORD will give you meat, and you shall eat. 19 You shall eat, not one day, nor two days, nor five days, nor ten days, nor twenty days, 20 but for a whole month, until it comes out of your nostrils and becomes loathsome to you, because you have despised the LORD who is among you, and have wept before Him, saying, “Why did we ever come up out of Egypt?”’”

21 And Moses said, “The people whom I am among are six hundred thousand men on foot; yet You have said, ‘I will give them meat, that they may eat for a whole month.’ 22 Shall flocks and herds be slaughtered for them, to provide enough for them? Or shall all the fish of the sea be gathered together for them, to provide enough for them?”

23 And the LORD said to Moses, “Has the LORD’s arm been shortened? Now you shall see whether what I say will happen to you or not.”

24 So Moses went out and told the people the words of the LORD, and he gathered the seventy men of the elders of the people and placed them around the tabernacle. 25 Then the LORD came down in the cloud, and spoke to him, and took of the Spirit that was upon him, and placed the same upon the seventy elders; and it happened, when the Spirit rested upon them, that they prophesied, although they never did so again.

26 But two men had remained in the camp: the name of one was Eldad, and the name of the other Medad. And the Spirit rested upon them. Now they were among those listed, but who had not gone out to the tabernacle; yet they prophesied in the camp. 27 And a young man ran and told Moses, and said, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.”

28 So Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ assistant, one of his choice men, answered and said, “Moses my lord, forbid them!”

29 Then Moses said to him, “Are you zealous for my sake? Oh, that all the LORD’s people were prophets and that the LORD would put His Spirit upon them!” 30 And Moses returned to the camp, he and the elders of Israel.

Moses was quite over with ministering to so many people in the wilderness journey, especially when they became contentious and complained about the food and how good they thought they had it in the captivity of Egypt’s bondage.  The LORD God stepped in to relieve the burden of ministry by commanding Moses to choose seventy godly men to assist as the first spiritual elders seen purposely chosen and assigned in scripture.  They came to the temple of meeting, similar to the local church now, that they might be dedicated or installed to the service of God there.  The LORD spoke to them all there and told them He would then put His Spirit on them as on Moses so they would have the wisdom and ability to minister to the people alongside the man of God.  He then to them to consecrate themselves and await the delivery of meat to meet the complaints of the congregation the following day.  They would have that meat of discontent for an entire month, “until it comes out of your nostrils and becomes loathsome” to them as they were told.  This was recompense and a lesson in why contentment was critical to living by faith in trusting the goodness and provision of God, a lesson we still need constant reminding of.  To grumble and complain about what we don’t have is really despising God and His goodness to us!  Moses did not understand how this was possible since they did not have enough animals to feed over six hundred thousand people, but God reminded him that nothing is impossible (Genesis 18:14, Jeremiah 32:27, Luke 1:37, 18:27) with the Almighty God and to wait to see how He would provide enough food the next day as He promised.  Then the Spirit of God rested on the seventy chosen men who prophesied for one time only to demonstrate that they had been given this role by God to lead, similar to the New Testament times when the Spirit gave the ability to speak with other languages to the disciples and then the Gentiles as proof of their calling in Christ.  Moses answered the complaints of those who tried to stop the Spirit-driven utterances by telling them it would be wonderful if all could have His Spirit upon them and do the same, foretelling the advent of the permanent filling of the Holy Spirit (2 Corinthians 1:22, 5:5, Galatians 4:6, Romans 8:9) on all those called into Christ to come as a seal (Ephesians 1:13-14) of their choosing by the Lord to minister together in the gospel!  May we then be content by faith in God’s provision and calling to serve together with the mind of Christ in us all who are truly His and not demand more than He provides as some do of God today for miraculous abilities and power unsanctioned and not promised by the Lord.  Godliness in our lives with contentment by trusting and contented faith is the greatest gain we can receive as we share the burden of ministry. 

Numbers 11:1-15 - Godliness is Contentment

Numbers 11:1-15

The People Complain

1 Now when the people complained, it displeased the LORD; for the LORD heard it, and His anger was aroused. So the fire of the LORD burned among them, and consumed some in the outskirts of the camp. 2 Then the people cried out to Moses, and when Moses prayed to the LORD, the fire was quenched. 3 So he called the name of the place Taberah, because the fire of the LORD had burned among them.

4 Now the mixed multitude who were among them yielded to intense craving; so the children of Israel also wept again and said: “Who will give us meat to eat? 5 We remember the fish which we ate freely in Egypt, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic; 6 but now our whole being is dried up; there is nothing at all except this manna before our eyes!”

7 Now the manna was like coriander seed, and its color like the color of bdellium. 8 The people went about and gathered it, ground it on millstones or beat it in the mortar, cooked it in pans, and made cakes of it; and its taste was like the taste of pastry prepared with oil. 9 And when the dew fell on the camp in the night, the manna fell on it.

10 Then Moses heard the people weeping throughout their families, everyone at the door of his tent; and the anger of the LORD was greatly aroused; Moses also was displeased. 11 So Moses said to the LORD, “Why have You afflicted Your servant? And why have I not found favor in Your sight, that You have laid the burden of all these people on me? 12 Did I conceive all these people? Did I beget them, that You should say to me, ‘Carry them in your bosom, as a guardian carries a nursing child,’ to the land which You swore to their fathers? 13 Where am I to get meat to give to all these people? For they weep all over me, saying, ‘Give us meat, that we may eat.’ 14 I am not able to bear all these people alone, because the burden is too heavy for me. 15 If You treat me like this, please kill me here and now—if I have found favor in Your sight—and do not let me see my wretchedness!”

We see that complaining instead of being contented with all God provides is a great loss instead of great (1 Timothy 6:6) gain.  The gain of peace with God and godly character is lost when grumbling and wanting more or perceived better is sought instead of gladly accepting all the Lord gives as the very best (Romans 8:28) for our lives if we are His people in Christ.  In these old days before Christ was in the people (though Jesus traveled with them as seen in 1 Corinthians 10:4), the punishment for such complaining was immediate retribution against their rebellious unthankfulness.  They were quote literally burned up, a foretaste of the final judgment on rejection of the gospel to be revealed in time.  These also had the audacity to grumble over the temporal bread from heaven (Exodus 16:4) as their descendants would over the true (John 6:31-32, 33, 58) as it appears.  They were not content to have daily bread to survive; they longed for the abundance of food in their bondage in the sinful land of captivity!  How they whined for meat when they could have been starving!  This example should move us to be truly grateful for all the Lord provides and not to be discontent and demand or seek after more and more.  Such greed and unthankful behavior is not acceptable not beneficial to our bodies and souls.  Godliness in our hearts and actions is contentment in all we are provided, knowing it is the best.  There is no great gain in always longing for more and blaming God for not having what we imagine we are entitled to.  We need only realize our deli from the bondage to sin to see the value and sufficiency in all we have from His hand.  Godliness like this is true contentment. 

Numbers 10:11-36 - Our Going Out and Coming In

Numbers 10:11-36

Departure from Sinai

11 Now it came to pass on the twentieth day of the second month, in the second year, that the cloud was taken up from above the tabernacle of the Testimony. 12 And the children of Israel set out from the Wilderness of Sinai on their journeys; then the cloud settled down in the Wilderness of Paran. 13 So they started out for the first time according to the command of the LORD by the hand of Moses.

14 The standard of the camp of the children of Judah set out first according to their armies; over their army was Nahshon the son of Amminadab. 15 Over the army of the tribe of the children of Issachar was Nethanel the son of Zuar. 16 And over the army of the tribe of the children of Zebulun was Eliab the son of Helon.

17 Then the tabernacle was taken down; and the sons of Gershon and the sons of Merari set out, carrying the tabernacle.

18 And the standard of the camp of Reuben set out according to their armies; over their army was Elizur the son of Shedeur. 19 Over the army of the tribe of the children of Simeon was Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai. 20 And over the army of the tribe of the children of Gad was Eliasaph the son of Deuel.

21 Then the Kohathites set out, carrying the holy things. (The tabernacle would be prepared for their arrival.)

22 And the standard of the camp of the children of Ephraim set out according to their armies; over their army was Elishama the son of Ammihud. 23 Over the army of the tribe of the children of Manasseh was Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur. 24 And over the army of the tribe of the children of Benjamin was Abidan the son of Gideoni.

25 Then the standard of the camp of the children of Dan (the rear guard of all the camps) set out according to their armies; over their army was Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai. 26 Over the army of the tribe of the children of Asher was Pagiel the son of Ocran. 27 And over the army of the tribe of the children of Naphtali was Ahira the son of Enan.

28 Thus was the order of march of the children of Israel, according to their armies, when they began their journey.

29 Now Moses said to Hobab the son of Reuel the Midianite, Moses’ father-in-law, “We are setting out for the place of which the LORD said, I will give it to you.’ Come with us, and we will treat you well; for the LORD has promised good things to Israel.”

30 And he said to him, “I will not go, but I will depart to my own land and to my relatives.”

31 So Moses said, “Please do not leave, inasmuch as you know how we are to camp in the wilderness, and you can be our eyes. 32 And it shall be, if you go with us—indeed it shall be—that whatever good the LORD will do to us, the same we will do to you.”

33 So they departed from the mountain of the LORD on a journey of three days; and the ark of the covenant of the LORD went before them for the three days’ journey, to search out a resting place for them. 34 And the cloud of the LORD was above them by day when they went out from the camp.

35 So it was, whenever the ark set out, that Moses said:

“Rise up, O LORD!
Let Your enemies be scattered,
And let those who hate You flee before You.”

36 And when it rested, he said:
“Return, O LORD,
To the many thousands of Israel.”

When the cloud of the presence of the LORD lifted from the tabernacle of the Testimony in Sinai it then stopped in the Wilderness of Paran.  This was Israel’s first move out of eighteen guided by God on their journey towards the promised land since leaving Egypt.  They would continue to go out and come in as they dismantled the portable temple holding the Most Holy place and altar of atoning sacrifices and then journeyed to the next stop which they would be led to spend time and learn to follow God and His word together.  They moved by God’s command through the spokesman Moses as their leader under His authority to follow the word of the Lord God, just as we are now guided through our lives by the written word of the Lord through the preaching and teaching of those put over us under His divine authority.  As Israel journeyed, they would hear Moses lead them by calling on their LORD to disperse the enemy who hate them as they set out.  Then they would hear Moses speak rest in Him who kept them as they came in to rest on their continuing sojourn.  He spoke as the Ark of the Testimony of God’s covenant with the people set out and when it rested along the way until they arrived in the promised land through many toils and troubles that came to them in their faltering obedience and hard lessons, just as we struggle in our journey of sanctification until we reach the heavenly kingdom to come in the end of time beyond the day of judgment.  May we likewise long to hear of the victory (1 Corinthians 15:57) in Christ who leads us along life’s narrow way and find rest and peace in Him (Romans 5:1) along our journey of life together as His people in our going out and coming in to Him.  This account then is a picture of our own Going Out and Coming In along our sojourn in the Lord who sanctifies us.