Numbers 9 to Numbers 21

Good day and it is a good day because the Lord has made it.

Today we start off in Numbers 9 where the Lord reminds Moses to tell the children of Israel to keep the passover in it's appointed season, which is the 14th day of the first month.  The children of Israel had to keep it when God said so and not whenever they chose to keep the passover.  

The same still goes for today.  Then the Lord gave reasons one can take the passover if they missed it during the first month due to being unclean.  This was the rule for the stranger and Israel; one law for all.  Not one law for the Jews and one for the Christians or non-Jews!

In chapter 10 the Lord gives the children of Israel the 'fire drill' if a war was to take place.  The priest were to sound the trumpet to aware the people of possible trouble or war.  The people began to cry against the Lord and it displeased the Lord and He set a fire and burned many of them until they cried to Moses who prayed unto the Lord for them.  

Moses was even tired of the people because they complained to him all the time about every little thing and lust.  So the Lord gave the spirit (the mind) that was upon Moses to 70 other men to know about God the way Moses did.  And the Lord promised to give them enough meat that they will be sick of it.  And the Lord sent a great plague that the people who lusted after the food of meat to choke on it and die.  That is something, to want a steak so bad and when you get it you eat it and choke on it and die.

In chapter 12 Miriam and Aaron, Moses's brother and sister began to speak against Moses saying has God only spoken to Moses, plus they were upset Moses married an Ethiopian (because Israel were suppose to marry within and not to strangers)?  And God called an urgent meeting and told them that Moses is "the man," and God punished Miriam by turning her leprous, white as snow?  

I would presume she had to be dark skinned for this to be a great punishment. The meek man Moses prayed for her to stop the plague and it was gone after 7 days.  Do not talk against the servants of the Lord, the Lord may actually be listening to your conver

sation.

The children of Israel, in chapter 13, began to send spies into the land of Canaan to see about the people and the richness of the land before they ambush the people and deal with them.  They gave good report of the land; but they feared the people.  All except Caleb who told the people to go up and take the land for they can do it.

And the people complained about having to go to war and take the land.  They said it would have been better to stay in Egypt where they were serving as slaves and worshiping pagan gods.  The Lord does not like complainers, so catch yourself when you are complaining about your situation.  And the 

Lord decided to kill all the people and make a great nation after Moses, to keep His covenant with Abraham (all God needed was one male of Abraham's loins).  

Then Moses interceded for the people and the Lord heard, but He would not let the people who saw what He did in Egypt, yet did not believe, get into the land.  The people who murmured against the Lord from age 20 years and above will not get into the land; but will fall in the wilderness for 40 years.  Unbelievable punishment for murmuring against a God who delivered them from bondage; but well deserved for a complaining people.  

Numbers 15 is a reminder of burnt offering and sin offerings for sin committed.  At the end of the chapter a man was picking sticks on the Sabbath

 day, and they jailed him to find out what the Lord's judgment was for him.  And the Lord had the congregation kill the man by stoning him.  

And the Lord commanded they make fringes on their garments with the commandments written on them to remind them not to do what they wanted; but to keep the commandments.  God had a man killed for polluting the Sabbath day, thus this is a very serious commandment and even more serious crime in breaking it.

Numbers 16

A man named Korah rose up against Moses charging Moses of being above the people when they were all Israel.  And Korah and Dathan charged 

Moses of making himself the prince over the people.  This made Moses very upset and asked God not to respect their offer.  

Then Moses spoke to show who the Lord appointed and the Lord had the earth open up and consumed Korah, Dathan, and Abiram and all that they own (wives and children included), and the 250 men who challenged Moses the Lord sent a fire and burned them up.  

Look at how jealousy and envying can kill a man.  I have to say it again; do not speak against the Lord's servants, God may deal with you harshly for that.  Later on some really dumb Israelites charged Moses for killing the people of God.  

When I read it, it looked like the earth consumed them; more so, it looked like they consumed themselves for talking against Moses.  The Lord was very angry with these people and urged Moses to move aside so He can kill this congregation in one moment.  That is instantaneously.  Even with Moses' interceding and pleading for the people, still 14,700 people died because of talking against Moses, which was talking against the Lord.

Now in Numbers 17 the Lord had to show who He was with by making Aaron's rod bud and brought forth almond.  His rod was brought for a testimony to the people to show who God had made priest.  Numbers 18 had the sons of Levi given to Aaron.


  ¹⁹All the heave offerings of the holy things, which the childre

n of Israel offer unto the LORD, have I given thee, and thy sons and thy daughters with thee, by a statute for ever: it is a covenant of salt for ever before the LORD unto thee and to thy seed with thee.

 ²⁰And the LORD spake unto Aaron, Thou shalt have no inheritance in their land, neither shalt thou have any part among them: I am thy part and thine inheritance among the children of Israel.


The sons of Levi had no inheritance in the land, they didn't have homes and businesses.  They receive a 10th from the children of Israel and they do the charge of the priest office.  This is a covenant of salt forever.  No stranger can come near the Levi's things.


In Numbers 20 Miriam died and was buried and the people charged Moses and Aaron for not providing water and a good life for them that they thought they had in Egypt.  And God instructed Moses on what to do to get them water.  


He was to speak to the rock, but instead Moses was angry with the people saying, "hear you rebels, must we give you water to drink," and he hit the rock twice. And God was upset with Moses for his anger and not sanctifying the Lord before the people.  Moses and Aaron rebelled against the Lord's word at the waters of Meribah and that is why they were not allowed into the land.

There in Meribah, did Aaron die and Eleazar his son, took over the priest office.  


In chapter 21, the people complained again and the Lord sent fiery serpents to bite the people and many died, and when they repented, Moses prayed but God did something for people to exercise their faith.  


He had Moses build a stick and make snake of brass and if the people looked  upon the snake they would be healed.  


If they did not, they would indeed die.  This is the faith we have when we go into most hospitals today that have the snake on a stick today.  Then Israel went in and knocked off the Amorites and took their land.  We learned that murmuring and complaining is not acceptable.  


In the Bible it says ask and ye shall receive.  So if these people wanted meat, they should have went to their chief to ask Moses if they can have meat in some way or they could simply prayed to the God that took them out of Egypt to provide.  But to complain and murmur, that is less than childish and disrespectful especially when so much has been done for you.  Than you for joining me today, see you tomorrow.


DD

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Thanks