Numbers 6-9: Last week I wrote about how Numbers is a book about getting organized as God’s people were preparing to move forward. In today’s reading they completed preparations for the Tabernacle and gave their sacrifices by family groups. in the end after all of the animals were sacrificed, all of the gifts given, and all of the outward worship done, Moses went inside to the most holy place, and chapter 7 says,

89 “And when Moses went into the tent of meeting to speak with the Lord, he heard the voice speaking to him from above the mercy seat that was on the ark of the testimony, from between the two cherubim; and it spoke to him.”

Can’t you just imagine as the glory of the Lord filled that place to be Moses hearing the voice of God? I wonder if the hair on his arms stood straight up. I can assure you there were definitely goose bumps, or God bumps as the case may be. I wonder if he fell flat on his face right there. I know his heart must have been just so relieved, the project was finally complete. Now he was in the presence of God as God had told him He would be.

As awesome as it is to ponder that moment, I am equally as amazed at the fact and maybe even more so that God would truly speak to me. Through the power of the Holy Spirit that took up residence in us when we prayed to receive Christ the Spirit now lives in us. The Bible tells us that we can and will hear the Spirit speak to us telling us where to go. He will speak what He hears the Father speak and He will teach us His ways.

I know there has been much on social media and television lately about people being mentally ill that think they hear God speaking to them, but people who are not of the the Spirit can’t understand the things of the Spirit. They can’t hear His voice because they are not His. That sounds proud or even braggadocios but it is not meant that way. the Bible makes it clear that if you do not have His Spirit you can’t understand Spirit driven things. But be assured my friend, He says His sheep hear His voice and they obey.

What Moses knew by his Tabernacle experience, we know by heart. We too hear His voice and we obey.

Leviticus 26-27; Numbers 1-2: Hooray!!! We made it through Leviticus! If you are still reading through with us we need to give you a badge or something. lol. Leviticus is filled with rules and laws, but most of all it was a challenge for God’s people to do life God’s way and not be influenced by the people around them. If ever that message needed to be proclaimed it is to us as believers. Our world makes us think we are the odd one when really we are the right ones. We are right in step with God’s word and His plans for our lives. Don’t let the world around you dictate how you do life. Be a stand out!

We finally arrive at Numbers and in number the first thing God tells them is to get organized. He gives them a verbal map of where each trip is to be located around the Tent of Meeting which hold the Ark of His presence. The priests and the Levites surround the Tent for the maintenance and safe keeping, but the other tribes are organized around the tent and are also given directions as to when they move out what order the nation will line up in. God is moving them to the next step with Him where He is ready for them to go and take the promised land.

Organization is a huge part of being effective in any endeavor. We will see for God’s people they too needed to have a plan. They needed heads of families, order in those families, then order in the overall picture. It is not just about the ones in authority, but also those who line up under them. We often focus on the leader, but if the followers don’t do their job, the group could never be effective.

So as we go through the numbers and order given, don’t get caught up in the details, remember God is about a much bigger purpose and it is to see His people walk in obedience and succeed.

Leviticus 23-25: You know this party girl loves it when God’s assigned job is to have a party! In the scriptures the children of Israel were assigned party times where specific meals would be prepared. They would start with a solemn assembly where they would worship God. Then in the days that followed they would have a huge celebration for all God had done for them. The celebrations were held so they would remember what they had been brought through. They also celebrated what God was doing for them at that time with gifts to the Lord from their harvests. In all their celebrations the central figure was God.

How often do you celebrate with other believers? Do you have times each year that you gather together to recall all God has done? Do you have weekly gatherings with other believers where you share a meal or a time of Bible Study? God’s plan for celebrating wasn’t just for the saints of old. He knows we need relationships as well. We need to gather, eat together, and share the joys and sorrows of our lives. God is still at work in our midst, so let the party begin!

Leviticus 19-22: “You are to be holy because I am holy.” That was what God told His children over and over. They were to be set apart and not be like the others around them. It wasn’t because they were bigger or even better. It was because God had chose them.

He chose them, but He also chose us. He loved them and He loves us. In His love He chooses for us to not be like those who walk by their own desires.

Looking at the celebration of Billy Graham’s life and ministry today, the reason he stood out is because he was different. He walked by God’s laws and told anyone who would listen that God loved them and had a plan for their life. He constantly invited others to respond to the call of the gospel. He chose to keep his life above any question of wrong doing. He chose to honor his marriage so much that he never was in a room by himself with a woman that was not his wife. He met with leaders and paupers but the message never changed. God loves you and longs for you to follow Him.

As we look back to the passage today, what God was saying is be set apart. Billy Graham was a visible example of that. We too can be an example of set apart living. No, you don’t have to preach to millions. Just love those you come into contact with each day. Be ready to share how God changed your life and how you now live to please God alone.

Leviticus 15-18: “You are not like everybody else.” When you read that sentence in what context did you hear it? Was it a statement of affirmation that you are special and are appreciated because you are different? Did you hear it in a mom’s voice reprimanding you and cautioning you? Did you hear it in a taunting way as from the mouth of a cruel classmate?

All through out the book of Leviticus the Children of Israel were being given instructions so that they could be clean and not like the inhabitants who had possessed the land before them. Everything from what they ate to their sexual relationships were to be different.

Leviticus 18:24″Do not make yourselves unclean by any of these things, for by all these the nations I am driving out before you have become unclean, 25and the land became unclean, so that I punished its iniquity, and the land vomited out its inhabitants. 26But you shall keep my statutes and my rules and do none of these abominations,”

God’s people were to be different because He was their God. He wanted them to not be infected by the ways of the former inhabitants. The former inhabitants worshiped any number of gods and would offer sacrifices anyway to them. God was very specific where they were to offer sacrifice to Him. That is why the Tent of Meeting was so important and specifically the Ark. The priest had to be clean and the people forgiven so that their relationship with a Holy God could be made right. Everything from the priests clothes to what he touched before and after the sacrifice mattered to God.

What can this mean to us? God is not just “The Man upstairs.” He is our Holy One of a Kind Savior. He isn’t to be put on the shelf until we are ready to acknowledge Him. We can’t escape His presence. Even His name is hallowed and precious. As His child we too are to be set apart from the fleshly desires and behaviors of our world. We are His and as such we choose to walk right before God in personal behavior as well as in our relationships with others. May we all examine our lives because “you are not like everybody else.”

Leviticus 11-14: This is one of those passages that makes you wonder why in the world did God put this in the Bible? It was instructive to the ancient people of how to stay healthy and clean, but what possible application could it have to me today?

I struggle with that same thought. Here are some things I thought about.
With the clean and unclean animals it is reminding us that God wants the best for our physical bodies. The animals that were unclean were animals, birds and even crustacean that clean up other dead animals, birds, and sea life. They fed on the refuse of other lifeforms and to eat them would be to take in things that would make them very sick. God wants us to be careful about what we take in as well. Eat in such a way that our bodies can be the most effective for Him. Our body is a temple where His Spirit takes up residence. As much as we can we need to keep it healthy and in good shape to go and do what we are sent to do.

The diseased flesh instructions were again to prevent the spread of diseases that could spread easily. In our lifetime these diseases are pretty much contained, but we still have people who feel as though they are outcasts. God’s desire for us is to follow Jesus’ example and reach out to those who need healing and encouragement. Befriend them and allow them to know there is a place for them in the family of faith. God has declared by the blood of His Son that we all can be clean before Him no matter what the disease of our past may be. Receive forgiveness and be made clean.

Then we the church are to reach out to those who have been unclean and those that may make bad choices even after they are believers and restore them back into the family of faith. Being made clean and allowed back into the fellowship is huge in making disciples and teaching to observe all that Jesus has taught us.

Leviticus 1-4: This is the book that is filled with the dried up bones of many who started reading the Bible through but got in the middle and just gave up. It is filled with laws and commands. It is hard sometimes to get “a word” in the midst of thinking what in the world could this possibly have to do with my life.

Let me try to bring some fresh tissue and flesh to the valley of these dry bones by reminding us that by God’s grace we no longer need to physically sacrifice animals for our sin or even to find favor with God. Jesus was the complete payment for our sin, but reading through these passages definitely give us a much better picture of what our sin cost. As each family would raise a perfect animal for the sacrifice they raised it knowing that it would be slaughtered to pay for their wrong doing. I wonder if they named these animals and were they favored pets by their children? Did they children cray where they placed the rope around the neck of the animal to lead it to the temple. I wonder how parents explained it to their children.

When the owner got the animal to the temple they would place their hand upon the head of the animal and confess their sin. Do you think they whispered their words? Did they say them loud enough for others to hear. The laying their hands on the head of the animal did not absolve them, but it was a place where confession and repentance took place as the person realized and turned from their sin. We don’t physically put our hands on the head of an animal, but God still bids us to speak out a confirmation of our sin and wrongdoing and repent or turn from it.

I am so grateful that I don’t have to worry about what parts went on the altar and the fat of which parts were to be burned. I don’t have to worry about what side of the altar North or East that the blood from the sacrifice is placed on. I don’t have to worry about adding salt to the meat for the best aroma to the Father. My only concerns are to come before Him with praise and thanksgiving, with a humble heart broken for my sin, and a repentant spirit promising to turn away and do right. Reading Leviticus is a great reminder for me of all that God had done so that I might live in freedom.

Now that is not just flesh on the old bones, but blood and muscle as well. Praise the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.

Exodus 29-32: My heart breaks for Moses and for God in this passage. Moses was on the mountain for a little over a month. The people had heard God’s voice and did not want to be physically close to Him. They feared God, but not enough. They assumed that because Moses and Joshua had not returned that they were probably dead and they began to slip back into their old way of life. They began by questioning. Then they turned back to the gods of their old culture. Aaron was a part of the chaos because he fashioned the calf out of their gold jewelry.

I wonder sometimes if that is not exactly how we act as well. We get away from hearing God and His word. Maybe we stop going to church consistently. We stop hanging out with godly friends and influences. Then slowly we fade back into our old way of life. It doesn’t happen all at once or we would never go back. It is just a cooling of our spiritual fire. Eventually there are warm coals underneath where a fire once burned, but we are far from the source of our heat.

It doesn’t have to be this way. For Israel, there was severe punishment that ensued after this to remind the people of who God really is. Thousands lost their lives as a result. His power was made clear again. God takes His position seriously.

In our lives it may look differently, but God will go as far as He needs to draw you back to Himself. Some call this Holy Discipline. Others call it true love. As a parent we know how this is when you have to take things from your children that are not good for them or can cause harm to them or others. (hide the Tide pods). But we know for them to live and do well they need discipline. We too need the love of our Father to gently yet strongly move us back into a right relationship with Him where the fires of our soul burn brightly again. He longs for close relationship with us.

If you find yourself cooling with the Father, spend some time talking to Him about it. He knows your circumstance. Tell Him you are sorry and ask Him to help you burn brightly again. Ask Him to forgive you for slipping back into your old way of life. Then do the things you once did to experience a reviving of your spirit. Prayer and Bible study are a great place to begin. Make plans now to attend church Sunday and call a Christian friend to have a meal with. Your fire will soon blaze again and your joy will be restored. The choice is yours.

Exodus 25-28: We were made to worship. God put it in our very DNA. He wanted us to give honor and glory to Him. Israel had just come from captivity in a culture that understood worship. They had many gods and their leader, Pharaoh, himself was a god to them. They had learned from the culture around them to pay honor, glory and respect to these gods and idols. Therefore when God said to worship Him alone He followed it with giving them the exact dimensions to build a place for them to meet with Him and worship.

He even provided the materials to build the tent of meeting when the Egyptians gave the people gold, silver, jewelry and gem stones. The had been slaves so these beautiful things would have never been a part of their lives before. God had the Egyptians give them the items because God was preparing them to get to give.

25:1″The Lord said to Moses, 2″Speak to the people of Israel, that they take for me a contribution. From every man whose heart moves him you shall receive the contribution for me. ”

God had given the materials to them to give through them as an act of worship to Him. In the New Testament we are reminded “Where your treasure is so is your heart also.” Those who gave were showing their worship, love and appreciation to God.

So how does this apply to us? God has given to us as well in order to give through us. He gives us jobs to be able to make money and from those proceeds He has asked for a tithe. 10% is asked to be given not in a begrudging way, but with a cheerful heart. Just as with Israel, it was an act of worship to their God. They had been made to worship and giving was a part of that worship. So are we. As we give our money to the church, our place of worship we aren’t giving it to the brick and mortar or even to the pastor or priest. We are giving it to the Lord and with it we are giving our hearts in praise and thanksgiving for all God has done for us.

God’s plan from the beginning was for Israel to come away from slavery to worship God. He longs for the same for us. He longs for us to come away from the slavery of sin and self worship to realize He alone is God and we need Him more than we need our money. He is our provider, protector, redeemer, Savior and friend. May we prepare our gifts for him as we worship him today.

Exodus 22-24: God has such a deep love for the widow, the orphan, the foreigner and the poor. When He gave the laws to His people many of them dealt with leaving a small portion of their harvest as salvage for those who had no land or crop.

The book of Ruth is a beautiful picture of how Boaz shared the salvage of his crop with the widows Ruth and Naomi. Ruth was allowed to pick up the left over and the fringe grain to feed she and Naomi. Ruth was both a wide and an outsider, but God’s love was so great for her that she became a part of His family. I love how she tells Naomi, “Your people shall become my people and your God my God.”

Moses instructed the people to share with those less fortunate. By caring for those who are less fortunate God would bless them as a nation.

The New Testament tells us that pure and undefiled religion is to take care of widows and orphans in their distress. In our passage today I was reminded it wasn’t the big things that they were to do. They were just to be conscious of them and leave a small portion for them to pick up. They were to see those in need and help meet their needs.

If God blessed that in the days of the Bible, don’t you know He blesses us today as we do the same. You don’t have to give them handouts, but why not include them when you have guests in your home. Watch to see the children around you that just need a word of encouragement. I think about children whose parents are deployed. They are not orphaned, but they sure miss their parent. I think about some young widows in my community who sometimes just need a call, a text, or a word of encouragement. An invitation to hang out would probably be appreciated as well. Most of the time it is not the big things, but the small that mean so much. Just see them and keep them in your thoughts and prayers as well.