Thursday Evening Bible Study

January 13, 2010

Introduction

The book of Numbers is the history of Israel during their forty years of wandering in the wilderness.  It is called “Numbers” because twice Israel is numbered, once at the beginning of the forty years, and once at the end.

We’ve seen how at the beginning, God is in the process of organizing this nation of delivered slaves into a lean, mean fighting machine.

Do people see Jesus? Is the gospel preached? Does it speak to the broken hearted? Does it build up the church? Milk – Meat – Manna Preach for a decision

Numbers 7

7:1-9 Carts for Levites

:1 Now it came to pass, when Moses had finished setting up the tabernacle, that he anointed it and consecrated it and all its furnishings, and the altar and all its utensils; so he anointed them and consecrated them.

We go back a month earlier, back to when Moses first set up the Tabernacle (Ex. 40).

:2 Then the leaders of Israel, the heads of their fathers’ houses, who were the leaders of the tribes and over those who were numbered, made an offering.

:3 And they brought their offering before the LORD, six covered carts and twelve oxen, a cart for every two of the leaders, and for each one an ox; and they presented them before the tabernacle.

The leaders of the tribes of Israel get together and present the Levites with a gift of six carts and twelve oxen.

These carts will be used to transport the “stuff” of the Tabernacle.

These carts will be divided up among the three Levite families (vs. 4-9)

:4 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

:5 “Accept these from them, that they may be used in doing the work of the tabernacle of meeting; and you shall give them to the Levites, to every man according to his service.”

:6 So Moses took the carts and the oxen, and gave them to the Levites.

:7 Two carts and four oxen he gave to the sons of Gershon, according to their service;

:8 and four carts and eight oxen he gave to the sons of Merari, according to their service, under the authority of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest.

:9 But to the sons of Kohath he gave none, because theirs was the service of the holy things, which they carried on their shoulders.

These families divided up the work of packing, moving, and setting up the Tabernacle as the Israelites moved through the wilderness.

The family of Gershon would get two of the carts – they were the ones responsible for all the cloth of the tent and courtyard fence.

The family of Merari would get four of the carts – they were responsible for all the heavy lifting, all the boards, bars, fence posts, etc. of the Tabernacle.

The family of Kohath won’t get any carts – they were the family responsible for the special pieces of the Tabernacle like the Ark, the Menorah, the Table, etc.  These pieces were not supposed to go on carts, but were to be carried.

King David will run into a problem 400 years later when he tries to move the Ark of the Covenant by placing it on an oxcart (2Sam. 6; 1Chr. 13).

A fellow named Uzziah is walking beside the cart and when the cart begins to tip a little too much, Uzziah reaches out and holds the Ark to keep it from falling.  He dies immediately.

After much grief and research, David finds out that they should have never put the Ark on a cart, it was supposed to be carried with poles on the shoulders of the Levites.

I wonder if God is concerned that some parts of ministry not be left up to the dumb oxen, but are supposed to be done by people.

7:10-17 Judah’s Offering

:10 Now the leaders offered the dedication offering for the altar when it was anointed; so the leaders offered their offering before the altar.

:11 For the LORD said to Moses, “They shall offer their offering, one leader each day, for the dedication of the altar.”

:12 And the one who offered his offering on the first day was Nahshon the son of Amminadab, from the tribe of Judah.

:13 His offering was one silver platter, the weight of which was one hundred and thirty shekels, and one silver bowl of seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering;

:14 one gold pan of ten shekels, full of incense;

:15 one young bull, one ram, and one male lamb in its first year, as a burnt offering;

:16 one kid of the goats as a sin offering;

:17 and for the sacrifice of peace offerings: two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs in their first year. This was the offering of Nahshon the son of Amminadab.

For twelve days each of the tribes will bring a gift in order to get the worship of the Tabernacle started.

Each tribe will bring the same identical gift.

There will be gold and silver bowls, grain, and incense.

There will be animals for burnt offerings, sin offerings, and sin offerings.

Moses will take the time to record the same identical offerings from each of the tribes.

7:18-83 Twelve Tribal Offerings

Is this like the twelve days of Christmas?  J  No.

The Twelve Days of Christmas are celebrated over the twelve days between Christmas and January 6, the Orthodox “Feast of Epiphany” when Jesus was baptized.

These twelve days of gifts reflect the twelve tribes.

Contents of gifts – Each tribe gave the exact same set of gifts

The order of tribes corresponds exactly with the placement of the tribes around the tabernacle - see chapter 2.

:18 On the second day Nethanel the son of Zuar, leader of Issachar, presented an offering.

:19 For his offering he offered one silver platter, the weight of which was one hundred and thirty shekels, and one silver bowl of seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering;

:20 one gold pan of ten shekels, full of incense;

:21 one young bull, one ram, and one male lamb in its first year, as a burnt offering;

:22 one kid of the goats as a sin offering;

:23 and as the sacrifice of peace offerings: two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs in their first year. This was the offering of Nethanel the son of Zuar.

:24 On the third day Eliab the son of Helon, leader of the children of Zebulun, presented an offering.

:25 His offering was one silver platter, the weight of which was one hundred and thirty shekels, and one silver bowl of seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering;

:26 one gold pan of ten shekels, full of incense;

:27 one young bull, one ram, and one male lamb in its first year, as a burnt offering;

:28 one kid of the goats as a sin offering;

:29 and for the sacrifice of peace offerings: two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs in their first year. This was the offering of Eliab the son of Helon.

:30 On the fourth day Elizur the son of Shedeur, leader of the children of Reuben, presented an offering.

:31 His offering was one silver platter, the weight of which was one hundred and thirty shekels, and one silver bowl of seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering;

:32 one gold pan of ten shekels, full of incense;

:33 one young bull, one ram, and one male lamb in its first year, as a burnt offering;

:34 one kid of the goats as a sin offering;

:35 and as the sacrifice of peace offerings: two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs in their first year. This was the offering of Elizur the son of Shedeur.

:36 On the fifth day Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai, leader of the children of Simeon, presented an offering.

:37 His offering was one silver platter, the weight of which was one hundred and thirty shekels, and one silver bowl of seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering;

:38 one gold pan of ten shekels, full of incense;

:39 one young bull, one ram, and one male lamb in its first year, as a burnt offering;

:40 one kid of the goats as a sin offering;

:41 and as the sacrifice of peace offerings: two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs in their first year. This was the offering of Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai.

:42 On the sixth day Eliasaph the son of Deuel, leader of the children of Gad, presented an offering.

:43 His offering was one silver platter, the weight of which was one hundred and thirty shekels, and one silver bowl of seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering;

:44 one gold pan of ten shekels, full of incense;

:45 one young bull, one ram, and one male lamb in its first year, as a burnt offering;

:46 one kid of the goats as a sin offering;

:47 and as the sacrifice of peace offerings: two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs in their first year. This was the offering of Eliasaph the son of Deuel.

:48 On the seventh day Elishama the son of Ammihud, leader of the children of Ephraim, presented an offering.

:49 His offering was one silver platter, the weight of which was one hundred and thirty shekels, and one silver bowl of seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering;

:50 one gold pan of ten shekels, full of incense;

:51 one young bull, one ram, and one male lamb in its first year, as a burnt offering;

:52 one kid of the goats as a sin offering;

:53 and as the sacrifice of peace offerings: two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs in their first year. This was the offering of Elishama the son of Ammihud.

:54 On the eighth day Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur, leader of the children of Manasseh, presented an offering.

:55 His offering was one silver platter, the weight of which was one hundred and thirty shekels, and one silver bowl of seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering;

:56 one gold pan of ten shekels, full of incense;

:57 one young bull, one ram, and one male lamb in its first year, as a burnt offering;

:58 one kid of the goats as a sin offering;

:59 and as the sacrifice of peace offerings: two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs in their first year. This was the offering of Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur.

:60 On the ninth day Abidan the son of Gideoni, leader of the children of Benjamin, presented an offering.

:61 His offering was one silver platter, the weight of which was one hundred and thirty shekels, and one silver bowl of seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering;

:62 one gold pan of ten shekels, full of incense;

:63 one young bull, one ram, and one male lamb in its first year, as a burnt offering;

:64 one kid of the goats as a sin offering;

:65 and as the sacrifice of peace offerings: two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs in their first year. This was the offering of Abidan the son of Gideoni.

:66 On the tenth day Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai, leader of the children of Dan, presented an offering.

:67 His offering was one silver platter, the weight of which was one hundred and thirty shekels, and one silver bowl of seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering;

:68 one gold pan of ten shekels, full of incense;

:69 one young bull, one ram, and one male lamb in its first year, as a burnt offering;

:70 one kid of the goats as a sin offering;

:71 and as the sacrifice of peace offerings: two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs in their first year. This was the offering of Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai.

:72 On the eleventh day Pagiel the son of Ocran, leader of the children of Asher, presented an offering.

:73 His offering was one silver platter, the weight of which was one hundred and thirty shekels, and one silver bowl of seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering;

:74 one gold pan of ten shekels, full of incense;

:75 one young bull, one ram, and one male lamb in its first year, as a burnt offering;

:76 one kid of the goats as a sin offering;

:77 and as the sacrifice of peace offerings: two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs in their first year. This was the offering of Pagiel the son of Ocran.

:78 On the twelfth day Ahira the son of Enan, leader of the children of Naphtali, presented an offering.

:79 His offering was one silver platter, the weight of which was one hundred and thirty shekels, and one silver bowl of seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering;

:80 one gold pan of ten shekels, full of incense;

:81 one young bull, one ram, and one male lamb in its first year, as a burnt offering;

:82 one kid of the goats as a sin offering;

:83 and as the sacrifice of peace offerings: two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs in their first year. This was the offering of Ahira the son of Enan.

7:84-88  Gift Summary

If you take the gifts of one of the tribes and multiply by twelve, that’s what you get here.

Everything is noted and recorded.

:84 This was the dedication offering for the altar from the leaders of Israel, when it was anointed: twelve silver platters, twelve silver bowls, and twelve gold pans.

:85 Each silver platter weighed one hundred and thirty shekels and each bowl seventy shekels. All the silver of the vessels weighed two thousand four hundred shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary.

:86 The twelve gold pans full of incense weighed ten shekels apiece, according to the shekel of the sanctuary; all the gold of the pans weighed one hundred and twenty shekels.

:87 All the oxen for the burnt offering were twelve young bulls, the rams twelve, the male lambs in their first year twelve, with their grain offering, and the kids of the goats as a sin offering twelve.

:88 And all the oxen for the sacrifice of peace offerings were twenty-four bulls, the rams sixty, the male goats sixty, and the lambs in their first year sixty. This was the dedication offering for the altar after it was anointed.

Take the gifts, times twelve...

Why does Moses take time to write down what each of the twelve tribes brings?  Couldn’t he just summarize it all? Is this their IRS receipt for tax deductions?

Lesson:

Your gifts are precious to God.

I think God has Moses record all this because these gifts are precious to Him, and He takes note of each gift given to Him.

In reality, sometimes the subject of “giving” at church leaves a bad taste in our mouths.  We think that “giving” is all about the church trying to get your money.

Illustration

A guy from Tyson Foods arranges to visit the Pope. After receiving the papal blessing he whispers, “Your Eminence, do we have a deal for you. If you change The Lord’s Prayer from ‘give us this day our daily bread....’ to ‘give us this day our daily chicken....’ we will donate $500 million dollars to the Church”. The Pope responds saying, “That is impossible. The Prayer is the Word of the Lord and it must not be changed”. “Well,” says the Tyson man, “we are prepared to donate $1billion to the Church if you change the Lord’s Prayer from ‘give us this day our daily bread....’ to ‘give us this day our daily chicken....” Again the Pope replies “That is impossible. The Prayer is the Word of the Lord and it must not be changed”. Finally, the Tyson guy says, “This is our last offer. We will donate $5 billion to the church if you change the Lord’s Prayer from give us this day our daily bread....’ to ‘give us this day our daily chicken....’” and he leaves. Next day the Pope meets with the College of Cardinals to say that he has good news and bad news. “The good news is that the Church has come into $5 billion”. “The bad news is that we are losing The Wonderbread Account”.

When Paul writes to the poor church in Philippi, he gives us a clue that God takes note of our giving

(Php 4:14–17 NKJV) —14 Nevertheless you have done well that you shared in my distress. 15 Now you Philippians know also that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church shared with me concerning giving and receiving but you only. 16 For even in Thessalonica you sent aid once and again for my necessities. 17 Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that abounds to your account.

(Php 4:17 NLT) —17 I don’t say this because I want a gift from you. Rather, I want you to receive a reward for your kindness.

God seems to keep track of our giving and promises to reward our giving.

Don’t forget that Jesus noticed the person who gave the most valuable gift of the day in the temple.

(Mk 12:41–44 NLT) —41 Jesus sat down near the collection box in the Temple and watched as the crowds dropped in their money. Many rich people put in large amounts.42 Then a poor widow came and dropped in two small coins.43 Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “I tell you the truth, this poor widow has given more than all the others who are making contributions.44 For they gave a tiny part of their surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she had to live on.”

Her gift, though only two pennies, was very valuable to the Lord, and He even took time to point it out to the disciples.

It’s not the amount that’s important, it’s the heart that’s important.

Paul wrote to the Corinthians to remind them that learning to “give” is simply being a reflection of Jesus Christ.  He is the greatest giver.

(2 Co 8:9 NKJV) For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich.

God so loved the world that He GAVE.

Somehow we have to get past the place where we think “giving” is all about greed in the church instead of looking at how it reflects our own heart.

7:89  Speaking with God

:89 Now when Moses went into the tabernacle of meeting to speak with Him, he heard the voice of One speaking to him from above the mercy seat that was on the ark of the Testimony, from between the two cherubim; thus He spoke to him.

We get a peek at how God spoke to Moses.

When Moses went into the tabernacle (“the tent of meeting”, as in meeting with God), Moses heard God’s voice coming from a spot above the mercy seat, between the two cherubim.

The ark was to be a picture of God’s throne.

In the box was the Ten Commandments, the lid on the box was called the “mercy seat”.

Molded on the seat were two gold angels, cherubim, pictures of the very angels in heaven that surround God’s throne.

This was all exactly like God had promised:

(Ex 25:22 NKJV) —22 And there I will meet with you, and I will speak with you from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim which are on the ark of the Testimony, about everything which I will give you in commandment to the children of Israel.

Lesson:

Meeting with God.

We, too, can have this kind of close fellowship with God.

It happens in the realm of the Spirit.

(Heb 10:19–22 NKJV) —19 Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, 21 and having a High Priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

It happens in our hearts, through faith.

Numbers 8

8:1-4 Lamp Instructions

:1 And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying:

:2 “Speak to Aaron, and say to him, ‘When you arrange the lamps, the seven lamps shall give light in front of the lampstand.’ ”

:3 And Aaron did so; he arranged the lamps to face toward the front of the lampstand, as the LORD commanded Moses.

:4 Now this workmanship of the lampstand was hammered gold; from its shaft to its flowers it was hammered work. According to the pattern which the LORD had shown Moses, so he made the lampstand.

 The golden lamp stand, the Menorah, was one of the items inside the first room of the Tabernacle, the “Holy Place”.

We’ve talked about it being a picture of Jesus (the “Light of the World”), but even more of it being a picture of us being a light in a dark world.

Somehow the lamps were directional in giving off light, they could be aimed.

Aaron was to be sure that the lamps were giving off light in front of them.

Lesson:

Let it shine

 (Mt 5:14–16 NKJV) “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

We are lights in this world.  God doesn't want us shining our light behind our back, but out in front.

We don’t do our good works in order to be seen by men:

(Mt 6:1 NKJV) —1 “Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven.

But we also need to be sure that we don’t do our good works in such a way that nobody sees anything.

Make sure that when people see your good works, they are glorifying God, not you.

(Php 2:14–15 NKJV) —14 Do all things without complaining and disputing, 15 that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,

My attitude is also part of shining my light.

I may do good things, but if my life is filled with complaining and disputing, it kind of defeats the purpose.

Illustration

When Michelle Attaway moved in with her boyfriend, Jay, for a life of drugs and partying, she assumed Jay’s parents would turn their back on them in disgust. So it was a bit shocking when Jay and Michelle were instead invited over for dinner. She writes about the events that followed:

I was incredulous because I knew that Jay’s parents were “normal” people, the type that crossed to the other side of the street when they saw us. Not only that, Jay had told me that they were religious. Yet sure enough, we were invited to dinner, and the thought of a good meal eventually convinced me to go.

To my surprise, Jay’s parents welcomed us warmly into their home. As we sat down to eat, I was painfully aware that my appearance—torn clothing, tattoos, and a dozen body piercings—clashed with the elegantly decorated table. Yet his folks treated us with friendly respect—even asking whether we wanted to play Scrabble afterward! I was bewildered by their kindness.

Over the next few months, Jay’s mom continued to contact us. Sometimes she brought a sack of groceries; other times she wrote letters that quoted Bible verses, saying she was praying for us. We’d read the letters aloud to our friends and have a good laugh. “Your mom must be crazy!” I’d chuckle. But the laughter couldn’t mask the emptiness I felt inside, and our lifestyle of partying and drug use only got worse.

Once, after a weeklong drug party, Jay and I became aware of spiritual darkness in our lives. We were very scared and called his parents, who immediately came over with their pastor and some friends. Though we fully expected to receive criticism and disapproval, these “church people” simply stepped over the trash on the floor, looked past the ugly death and skull posters on the wall (we even had a black paper bat hanging from the ceiling), shoved aside drug paraphernalia, and began counseling us and praying for us.

I was deeply touched by their love and acceptance. I’d been stuck in a downward spiral of depression and despair, and when I heard that God could give me a brand new life through Jesus Christ, I bowed my head and turned everything over to him. Equally moved, Jay prayed as well. From that moment, we knew our lives needed to change. Realizing it wasn’t right for us to be living together outside of marriage, Jay proposed to me that very day.

After a “hippie”-style wedding—outdoors and barefooted—Jay and I began attending my in-laws’ church. I noticed a sharp contrast between our untrustworthy friends and the reliable love of the church members. That was the kind of love I wanted to receive, and to show toward others.

I joined the church’s women’s group, but as the only married teenager, I felt out of place and unable to relate to the other ladies. I couldn’t understand their excitement over getting out the hot glue gun and making dried flower arrangements. Nevertheless, they didn’t give up on me. They invited me to weekly Bible studies and fun times at the park.

Nearly every day Jay and I were gifted with some form of love and acceptance from our fellow church members. As we struggled financially, we’d find anonymous checks in the mail or sacks of food on our doorstep. Once, a new set of soft flannel sheets turned up on our front porch.

We read our Bibles and attended a study group. As my relationship with God steadily deepened, I began to yearn for the opportunity to share his love with kids who were as troubled as I’d once been. So Jay and I began to volunteer with the youth ministry, working with teens living on the streets. Talking with those lost kids in their dirty, torn clothing reminded me how, at a needy time in my life, genuine Christian love had looked beyond appearances to a heart that needed Christ. And it cemented my determination to show that same unconditional love to others.

Condensed from our sister publication Today's Christian, © 2008 Christianity Today International. For more articles like this, visit Todays-Christian.com

Michelle Attaway (as told to Karen Strand), "More than Skin Deep," Today's Christian (May/June 2008)

8:5-26 Levite Consecration

Back in Numbers 4, we saw a transaction take place where God swapped His “ownership” of all the “firstborn” for ownership of the tribe of Levi.

The Levites would now be set up to be the official workers and helpers in the Tabernacle.

We’ve already seen some of their duties when it came to transporting the Tabernacle.

Now we’re going to see them officially “ordained” for their ministry.

:5 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying:

:6 “Take the Levites from among the children of Israel and cleanse them ceremonially.

:7 Thus you shall do to them to cleanse them: Sprinkle water of purification on them, and let them shave all their body, and let them wash their clothes, and so make themselves clean.

Part of their ordination involved being “cleansed”.

8:7 water of purification –

Could mean taking a bath.

Could refer to the sprinkling of the ashes of the red heifer (Num.19)

8:7 shave all their body – literally “pass a razor over” their body.

While some think this means being “de-haired”, it’s possible this just means getting a haircut and trim.

8:7 wash their clothes – that’s the part that most people see … and smell.

Lesson:

Keep the outside clean too.

Usually we put an emphasis on making sure we’re clean on the inside (Matt 23:25-28), but there’s value to keeping the outside clean as well.

It’s important to God that when people see you and the way you behave, that they don’t mistake you for a dope dealer or a prostitute.

I think that’s the issue in 1Cor. 11 when Paul talks about women wearing head coverings – for the people in first century Corinth this was all about making sure people didn’t mistake the women of the church with the local temple prostitutes.

The outward can be an indication of what’s going on inside.

(Mt 7:15–17 NKJV) —15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. 16 You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? 17 Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.

If someone were to try to find out what you were like on the inside, the only indication they have is what kind of fruit they see coming out of your life.

We need to be careful of what kind of appearances we give, yet what people see are only an indication of what’s on the inside.

(1 Th 5:22 NKJV) —22 Abstain from every form of evil.

:8 Then let them take a young bull with its grain offering of fine flour mixed with oil, and you shall take another young bull as a sin offering.

:9 And you shall bring the Levites before the tabernacle of meeting, and you shall gather together the whole congregation of the children of Israel.

:10 So you shall bring the Levites before the LORD, and the children of Israel shall lay their hands on the Levites;

Here the laying on of hands by the elders signified that the nation was bestowing upon the Levites the power to represent them before God.

Laying hands on someone or an animal carried the idea that you were investing yourself into that person or animal.

Here the idea is that the Levites were to represent the entire nation when they stood before the Lord.

Lesson:

Representing others.

You may be representing God before people, as in reaching out to others, comforting, encouraging, helping.

In prayer, one of our roles in ministry is learning to represent others before God.

On Sunday mornings when I pray at the end of the music, I know that I’m the only one that’s going to speak at that moment, and I am speaking on behalf of the whole congregation – to express praise to God as well as lifting up the hearts and requests of the congregation.

When someone asks you to pray for them, you are going to represent them before God.

(Pr 25:13 NKJV) Like the cold of snow in time of harvest Is a faithful messenger to those who send him, For he refreshes the soul of his masters.

:11 and Aaron shall offer the Levites before the LORD like a wave offering from the children of Israel, that they may perform the work of the LORD.

8:11 wave offering –

Do you think the Levites all got together and did “the wave” (a la Angel stadium)? Play “Rutgers’ Wave” video.

The idea of a regular “wave offering” was that you would take the offering and wave it backward and forward over your head, as if you were tossing it to the Lord.

The item wasn’t actually “given” to the Lord in the same way that a burnt offering was totally consumed by the flames.  It was more of a symbolic giving to the Lord, while the item was then used for some earthly purpose.

In a sense, the Levites were to be a “living sacrifice” to the Lord.

They were “given” to God as an offering, but they still were to have an earthly purpose to fulfill.

(Ro 12:1 NKJV) —1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.

Our bodies are to belong to God, yet they are still to serve an earthly purpose, serving God.

8:12-26 The Ritual

Then the actual sin offerings and burnt offerings are made, and the Levites are presented before the Lord.

:12 Then the Levites shall lay their hands on the heads of the young bulls, and you shall offer one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering to the LORD, to make atonement for the Levites.

:13 “And you shall stand the Levites before Aaron and his sons, and then offer them like a wave offering to the LORD.

:14 Thus you shall separate the Levites from among the children of Israel, and the Levites shall be Mine.

:15 After that the Levites shall go in to service the tabernacle of meeting. So you shall cleanse them and offer them like a wave offering.

:16 For they are wholly given to Me from among the children of Israel; I have taken them for Myself instead of all who open the womb, the firstborn of all the children of Israel.

:17 For all the firstborn among the children of Israel are Mine, both man and beast; on the day that I struck all the firstborn in the land of Egypt I sanctified them to Myself.

:18 I have taken the Levites instead of all the firstborn of the children of Israel.

:19 And I have given the Levites as a gift to Aaron and his sons from among the children of Israel, to do the work for the children of Israel in the tabernacle of meeting, and to make atonement for the children of Israel, that there be no plague among the children of Israel when the children of Israel come near the sanctuary.”

Serving God can be a tricky thing.

Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu learned the hard way that God is holy, and He cannot tolerate anything but holiness.

The Levites are going to learn the proper ways of doing things and then help train the rest of the nation about the proper ways to approach God.

:20 Thus Moses and Aaron and all the congregation of the children of Israel did to the Levites; according to all that the LORD commanded Moses concerning the Levites, so the children of Israel did to them.

:21 And the Levites purified themselves and washed their clothes; then Aaron presented them like a wave offering before the LORD, and Aaron made atonement for them to cleanse them.

:22 After that the Levites went in to do their work in the tabernacle of meeting before Aaron and his sons; as the LORD commanded Moses concerning the Levites, so they did to them.

This simple ritual got the Levites up and running.

:23 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

:24 “This is what pertains to the Levites: From twenty-five years old and above one may enter to perform service in the work of the tabernacle of meeting;

:25 and at the age of fifty years they must cease performing this work, and shall work no more.

:26 They may minister with their brethren in the tabernacle of meeting, to attend to needs, but they themselves shall do no work. Thus you shall do to the Levites regarding their duties.”

We are also given age limitations for the Levites who will work with the priests in the Tabernacle.

We already saw that the age limit for hauling the Tabernacle was 30-35.

Now we see that to work at the Tabernacle, the limit was 25-50.

Why the limits?  Levitical work was hard, physical labor.

Numbers 9

9:1-14 The Second Passover

:1 Now the LORD spoke to Moses in the Wilderness of Sinai, in the first month of the second year after they had come out of the land of Egypt, saying:

:2 “Let the children of Israel keep the Passover at its appointed time.

:3 On the fourteenth day of this month, at twilight, you shall keep it at its appointed time. According to all its rites and ceremonies you shall keep it.”

:4 So Moses told the children of Israel that they should keep the Passover.

:5 And they kept the Passover on the fourteenth day of the first month, at twilight, in the Wilderness of Sinai; according to all that the LORD commanded Moses, so the children of Israel did.

I would imagine that this second Passover was a pretty emotional one.

The people had seen a lot in this last year.

One year later the memories of that first Passover would still be pretty vivid.

Do you remember 911?  Do you remember how fresh and tragic is seemed just one year later?  We are now closing in on the ten year mark, and though it is still a pretty strong emotional memory, it’s not as strong as that first anniversary.

The memories of the last year were still pretty strong.

They would remember the cries of their Egyptian neighbors as all the firstborn of Egypt were killed that night.

They would remember quickly packing their things and heading out together, some two million people.

They would remember that next crisis as the Egyptian army closed in on them, and God parted the Red Sea.

When these people arrived at Mount Sinai, they had actually heard the voice of God.

Moses has now received the Laws of God, the Tabernacle has been constructed, and they are ready to head out on their journey to a Promised Land.

These people had been slaves their entire life, but for the last year they have tasted what it’s like to be free.

They will celebrate the way they were instructed a year earlier (Ex. 12):

They will slay a lamb and roast it on a fire.

They will eat it with bitter herbs.

They will eat unleavened bread for the next seven days.

:6 Now there were certain men who were defiled by a human corpse, so that they could not keep the Passover on that day; and they came before Moses and Aaron that day.

:7 And those men said to him, “We became defiled by a human corpse. Why are we kept from presenting the offering of the LORD at its appointed time among the children of Israel?”

These men knew that they were not in a state which was acceptable to participate in the things of the Lord.  What were they to do?

:8 And Moses said to them, “Stand still, that I may hear what the LORD will command concerning you.”

I like the idea that Moses doesn’t just come up with an idea of his own.  He doesn’t try to figure it out on his own.  He doesn’t gather his counselors together and ask for advice (though that’s not always a bad thing).

He goes to God and asks God to guide Him.

Lesson:

Wait for God’s answer.

Too often we feel like we have to give people quick answers to their questions.

But we need to learn to get our answers from the Lord first.  Sometimes that takes time.

(Pr 18:13 NKJV) —13 He who answers a matter before he hears it, It is folly and shame to him.

We often use this verse to talk about how we need to take time to really listen to each other before we respond.

But it also applies very well to learning to hear from God before giving an answer.

:9 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

:10 “Speak to the children of Israel, saying: ‘If anyone of you or your posterity is unclean because of a corpse, or is far away on a journey, he may still keep the LORD’s Passover.

:11 On the fourteenth day of the second month, at twilight, they may keep it. They shall eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs.

:12 They shall leave none of it until morning, nor break one of its bones. According to all the ordinances of the Passover they shall keep it.

:13 But the man who is clean and is not on a journey, and ceases to keep the Passover, that same person shall be cut off from among his people, because he did not bring the offering of the LORD at its appointed time; that man shall bear his sin.

:14 ‘And if a stranger dwells among you, and would keep the LORD’s Passover, he must do so according to the rite of the Passover and according to its ceremony; you shall have one ordinance, both for the stranger and the native of the land.’ ”

:9-14 God has an answer

God provides for those who aren’t able to celebrate the Passover on the correct day.

They can simply do it the next month.

The important thing is that the nation learns to observe the Passover EVERY year.

If an Israelite did not celebrate the Passover, they were removed from the nation.

It was important for God to imbed a picture into the spiritual DNA of the nation.

The picture was a lamb dying for the nation.

When John the Baptist arrived on the scene 1400 years later, the nation would have no excuse not to recognize the picture.

(Jn 1:29 NKJV) The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!

9:15-23 Cloud and Fire

:15 Now on the day that the tabernacle was raised up, the cloud covered the tabernacle, the tent of the Testimony; from evening until morning it was above the tabernacle like the appearance of fire.

The cloud was a symbol for the people of the very presence of God in their midst (Ex.40).

This cloud was shaped like a pillar, and had actually been with them since the night of the first Passover, when God delivered Israel from Egypt (Ex. 13:21-22)

(Ex 13:21–22 NKJV) —21 And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so as to go by day and night. 22 He did not take away the pillar of cloud by day or the pillar of fire by night from before the people.

As soon as the tabernacle was set up, then the cloud became "connected" with the tabernacle (Ex. 40:34-35)

(Ex 40:34–35 NKJV) —34 Then the cloud covered the tabernacle of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. 35 And Moses was not able to enter the tabernacle of meeting, because the cloud rested above it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.

:16 So it was always: the cloud covered it by day, and the appearance of fire by night.

:17 Whenever the cloud was taken up from above the tabernacle, after that the children of Israel would journey; and in the place where the cloud settled, there the children of Israel would pitch their tents.

:18 At the command of the LORD the children of Israel would journey, and at the command of the LORD they would camp; as long as the cloud stayed above the tabernacle they remained encamped.

:19 Even when the cloud continued long, many days above the tabernacle, the children of Israel kept the charge of the LORD and did not journey.

:20 So it was, when the cloud was above the tabernacle a few days: according to the command of the LORD they would remain encamped, and according to the command of the LORD they would journey.

:21 So it was, when the cloud remained only from evening until morning: when the cloud was taken up in the morning, then they would journey; whether by day or by night, whenever the cloud was taken up, they would journey.

:22 Whether it was two days, a month, or a year that the cloud remained above the tabernacle, the children of Israel would remain encamped and not journey; but when it was taken up, they would journey.

:23 At the command of the LORD they remained encamped, and at the command of the LORD they journeyed; they kept the charge of the LORD, at the command of the LORD by the hand of Moses.

The cloud became the chief means by which the Lord told the people when it was time to move on to the next camping spot, where to move, and how long to stay.

As long as the cloud stayed over the tabernacle, they people stayed camped out in that particular spot.

When the cloud moved, it was time to pack up and follow the cloud.

There was no set pattern as to where they would go, or how long they would stay.

It could be just over night that they stayed (vs.21).

They could stay for a month or a year  (vs.22)

Lesson

God’s Leading

God wants to lead all of our lives.  We may not have a cloud to follow, but we have the Spirit to follow:

(Jn 3:7–8 NKJV) —7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

We are kind of like a hot-air balloon.  It goes wherever the wind currents go.

How does God lead our lives?  What does that look like?

1.  His Word.

(Ps 119:105 NLT) Your word is a lamp to guide my feetand a light for my path.

God isn't like a human person who says one thing one time, then changes their mind and says the opposite the next.

When God tells us that something is His will in the Word, it is always His will.

Specific guidance

These are things that God has already declared to be His will for all of us.

For example, you get mad at someone.  You want to kill them.  But the Bible says,

(Ex 20:13 NLT) “You must not murder.

Another example, you start up a friendship with someone at work of the opposite sex.  But you are married.  The Bible says,

(Ex 20:14 NLT) “You must not commit adultery.

General Principles

Sometimes you will see principles laid out in Scripture in the stories you read.  These are the kinds of things I try to point out while I am teaching.

Earlier I talked about “Waiting for God’s Answer”.

We saw Moses demonstrate this principle, but we didn’t have a specific verse that said, “You shall wait for God’s answer”.

There will be times when it is not appropriate to wait.  But generally this is a good thing.

We see examples of others that give us a hint at what God’s kind of life is all about.

2.  His voice.

:23 command – peh – mouth

Here in our passage, it literally reads, “At the mouth of the Lord the sons of Israel would set out...”

You’ve heard people exclaim, “God told me to do this...”

Sometimes it’s not legitimate, sometimes it is.

Sometimes people will say this just to shut you up and let them do what they want to do.

It may be an audible voice, it may be an inner prompting, a “gut” feeling.

(Jn 10:27 NKJV) My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.

Caution:  This can be kind of dangerous, if you’re just flipping through the Bible, waiting to land on a verse that you want to hear. 

The extreme example is the man who was flipping through the Bible and his finger landed on “And Judas went out and hanged himself”, then flipped again and found “go and do likewise...”

On the other hand don’t discount it either, God can speak this way.

How do I get to recognize His voice better?

Learn what His voice sounds like - read the Word.

If you talk to a friend on the phone long enough, you get acquainted with the sound of their voice.

They can call you up, not even introduce themselves to you, and you know who it is.

The more time we spend in the Word, hearing what we know His voice to sound like, the more familiar we will be with His voice if He should wish to speak to us outside of His Word.

3.  Doors

(Re 3:7 NKJV) “And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write, ‘These things says He who is holy, He who is true, “He who has the key of David, He who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens”:

The “open doors” that the Lord puts before us are the opportunities or circumstances that are available to us.

Caution:  Some have misused this to think that God’s will is always the “easiest” way out of things.  They assume that if something gets difficult, that the door must be closing.

An “open door” doesn’t always mean the easiest solution.

(1 Co 16:8–9 NKJV) But I will tarry in Ephesus until Pentecost. 9 For a great and effective door has opened to me, and there are many adversaries.

Sometimes “open doors” include lots of hardship and obstacles, but the opportunity is still there.

4.  Counsel

(Pr 11:14 NKJV) —14 Where there is no counsel, the people fall; But in the multitude of counselors there is safety.

(Pr 15:22 NKJV) —22 Without counsel, plans go awry, But in the multitude of counselors they are established.

I think there can be wisdom in asking the advice of godly men and women.  When you think God is leading you to do something radical, it’s probably a good idea to check with a few people.

Caution:  Make sure you are getting godly counsel from those you talk to.

Rehoboam talked to two sets of counselors, and went with one set, creating disaster.

Lesson:

Don’t put God in a box.

He doesn’t often do the same thing twice in exactly the same way.

It may be you only get to camp out a day, or maybe a whole year, but it’s up to God to decide.

Just because God did it a certain way last time, don’t expect that He’ll do it the same way the next time.

We are people who like the comfort of knowing what to expect up ahead.

Yet God sometimes desires to do “new works” through us.

“Blessed are the flexible, for they shall not be broken.” 

(Is 43:18–19 NKJV) —18 “Do not remember the former things, Nor consider the things of old. 19 Behold, I will do a new thing, Now it shall spring forth; Shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness And rivers in the desert.

If God wanted to do something new in your life, if He wanted to do something in a different way in your life, would you be able to recognize it?