Thurs Devo: Death Planned

Most of us will not know ahead of time the exact time and place of our death, but Aaron did.

Numbers 20:22-29       ²² The whole Israelite community set out from Kadesh and came to Mount Hor. ²³ At Mount Hor, near the border of Edom, the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, ²⁴ “Aaron will be gathered to his people. He will not enter the land I give the Israelites, because both of you rebelled against my command at the waters of Meribah. ²⁵ Get Aaron and his son Eleazar and take them up Mount Hor. ²⁶ Remove Aaron’s garments and put them on his son Eleazar, for Aaron will be gathered to his people; he will die there.”

²⁷ Moses did as the Lord commanded: They went up Mount Hor in the sight of the whole community. ²⁸ Moses removed Aaron’s garments and put them on his son Eleazar. And Aaron died there on top of the mountain. Then Moses and Eleazar came down from the mountain, ²⁹ and when the whole community learned that Aaron had died, all the Israelites mourned for him thirty days.

God blessed Aaron by telling him ahead of time when and where he would die. God also told Aaron how to prepare and who would take his place as high priest. Moses and Eleazer weren’t left to try to figure it out on their own.

A relative of a friend of mine died in a bicycle accident last year. As sad as it was, the whole family saw God’s hand preparing them ahead of time. The guy who died had recently told his wife that he thought something might happen soon, so he made sure she knew what all their passwords and accounts were, etc. That was just one of several ways God prepared them.

As sad as death is in this life, we can look to God for direction on how to prepare for and/or handle death, whether our own or someone else’s. God is Sovereign over life and death.   

Alice

Thurs Devo: Confidence in God

Last week we saw how dramatic and irrational the Israelites were. I probably would have gotten very upset with the Israelites and tried to point out all the miracles they had forgotten about. However, it’s not recorded that Moses and Aaron even tried to reason with them. Moses and Aaron didn’t even answer their questions, but instead, turned first to God. That’s what the Israelites should have known to do by now, too.

Numbers 20:6-9  ⁶ Moses and Aaron went from the assembly to the entrance to the tent of meeting and fell facedown, and the glory of the Lord appeared to them. ⁷ The Lord said to Moses,⁸ “Take the staff, and you and your brother Aaron gather the assembly together. Speak to that rock before their eyes and it will pour out its water. You will bring water out of the rock for the community so they and their livestock can drink.”

⁹ So Moses took the staff from the Lord’s presence, just as he commanded him.

Moses and Aaron had such faith and confidence in God that they didn’t worry about defending themselves to the Israelites. They humbly went to God before responding or acting. In fact, they didn’t give God suggestions on how to solve the problem. Nor did they assume God would solve their lack of water issue the same way He had in the past.

How much confidence do you and I have in God? Are we quick to defend ourselves or God? Do we give Him suggestions on how to solve our problems? Are we quick to react or move ahead with our own ideas? Or, do we humbly go to Him first before reacting, truly seeking and waiting for His unique solutions?

Alice

Thurs Devo: Dependably Above and Beyond

God said “The staff belonging to the man I choose will sprout.” So, who’s staff do you think sprouted? You probably guessed it. It was Aaron’s, of course!

Numbers 17:6-9       ⁶ So Moses spoke to the Israelites, and their leaders gave him twelve staffs, one for the leader of each of their ancestral tribes, and Aaron’s staff was among them. ⁷ Moses placed the staffs before the Lord in the tent of the covenant law.

⁸ The next day Moses entered the tent and saw that Aaron’s staff, which represented the tribe of Levi, had not only sprouted but had budded, blossomed and produced almonds.⁹ Then Moses brought out all the staffs from the Lord’s presence to all the Israelites. They looked at them, and each of the leaders took his own staff.

God doesn’t just partially keep His word, or kind of do what he says. He fully follows through. In fact, He goes beyond what He promises! Aaron’s staff not only sprouted, but it budded, blossomed and produced almonds all in a day’s time!!!

Can you think of other times God has gone above and beyond what He promised?

The biggest and most important one is when He sent His Son, Jesus. From one of the verses we read last week, He promised to send a Savior to save us from our sins:

Matthew 1:21            ²¹ She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”

But God did so much more through sending Jesus:

Acts 5:30-32              ³⁰ The God of our ancestors raised Jesus from the dead—whom you killed by hanging him on a cross. ³¹ God exalted him to his own right hand as Prince and Savior that he might bring Israel to repentance and forgive their sins. ³² We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.”

Not only did God send Jesus to save us from the deserved penalty for our sins, but He also gave the Holy Spirit to guide us on this earth in addition to eternal life with Him after this life!

Will you join me in praising our dependable God for always going above and beyond what He has promised?

As Kent talked about yesterday, let’s not be foolish and ignore all the proofs and signs God has already given, but wisely recognize, believe, and proclaim all God has done!

Alice

Thurs Devo: God's Signs

Now back to the book of Numbers… We left off two weeks ago where Moses and Aaron initiated and made atonement for the rebellious Israelites. By that point, the Israelites should have had enough proof and signs that God had specifically chosen Moses and Aaron for their unique roles in leading the Israelites. However, God graciously gave the Israelites yet another sign.

Numbers 17:1-5       The Lord said to Moses, ² “Speak to the Israelites and get twelve staffs from them, one from the leader of each of their ancestral tribes. Write the name of each man on his staff. ³ On the staff of Levi write Aaron’s name, for there must be one staff for the head of each ancestral tribe. ⁴ Place them in the tent of meeting in front of the ark of the covenant law, where I meet with you. ⁵ The staff belonging to the man I choose will sprout, and I will rid myself of this constant grumbling against you by the Israelites.”

God gave the Israelites a sign of His choosing. Neither Moses nor the Israelites thought of it or asked for it.

God has given us numerous signs regarding Jesus, His Son and Savior of the world. First, He foretold many of the signs centuries before Jesus’ birth. Here is one of the prophesied signs and the fulfillment 800 years later.

Isaiah 7:14    ¹⁴ Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.

Matthew 1:20-23      ²⁰ But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. ²¹ She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” ²² All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: ²³ “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”).

Do you and I search out and believe the numerous signs God has given to us about Himself and Jesus?

Or, are you and I like the Israelites in Moses’ day? Do we listen to the ideas, questions and fears of the people around us rather than remembering and focusing on the proofs and signs God has already given?

God is generous and gracious with His signs. The Bible is full of them!!! Let’s pray for the Holy Spirit’s help to read (search for), recognize and remember God’s signs. 

Alice

Thurs Devo: Free Atonement

From last week, do you remember what God told Moses after the Israelites blamed Moses and Aaron for killing Korah?

Numbers 16:44-45   ⁴⁴ and the Lord said to Moses, ⁴⁵ “Get away from this assembly so I can put an end to them at once.” And they fell facedown.

Moses and Aaron responded with humility, reverence for God and compassion for the Israelites. Even though the Israelites deserved God’s wrath, Moses and Aaron didn’t say “Yeah, God, you get them! We’ve had enough!” Instead, look what they courageously and selflessly did!!!

Numbers 16:46-50   ⁴⁶ Then Moses said to Aaron, “Take your censer and put incense in it, along with burning coals from the altar, and hurry to the assembly to make atonement for them. Wrath has come out from the Lord; the plague has started.” ⁴⁷ So Aaron did as Moses said, and ran into the midst of the assembly. The plague had already started among the people, but Aaron offered the incense and made atonement for them. ⁴⁸ He stood between the living and the dead, and the plague stopped. ⁴⁹ But 14,700 people died from the plague, in addition to those who had died because of Korah. ⁵⁰ Then Aaron returned to Moses at the entrance to the tent of meeting, for the plague had stopped.

Aaron made atonement [reparation for a sin; reconciliation between God and people] for the Israelites who had personally sinned against him. What a fore-shadow of what Christ perfectly did for all of us, once and for all! We don’t earn Christ’s atonement, just like the Israelites didn’t earn Aaron’s atonement. It was costly to God and Jesus, but free to us!

Romans 3:23-26      ²³ for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, ²⁴ and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. ²⁵ God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— ²⁶ he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.

By faith, we accept Christ’s atonement on our behalf! Then, we can enjoy reconciliation with God!

Do you and I truly realize that we don’t deserve Christ’s sacrifice of atonement, we can’t earn it, but we can fully receive it by faith?

How will you and I appreciate the free atonement offered to us through Jesus Christ?

Alice

Thurs Devo: Opposition Continues

Not only did Miriam and Aaron oppose Moses, as we saw the last few weeks, but later a fellow Levite led a large opposition.

Numbers 16:1-3 Korah son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, and certain Reubenites—Dathan and Abiram, sons of Eliab, and On son of Peleth—became insolent ² and rose up against Moses. With them were 250 Israelite men, well-known community leaders who had been appointed members of the council. ³ They came as a group to oppose Moses and Aaron and said to them, “You have gone too far! The whole community is holy, every one of them, and the Lord is with them. Why then do you set yourselves above the Lord’s assembly?”

Had Moses chosen to be their leader? Had he set himself up above them? No. In fact, when God chose Moses for this task, Moses refused (Exodus 4:13 But Moses said, “Pardon your servant, Lord. Please send someone else.”). God didn’t take no for an answer, but He did give Aaron as Moses’ assistant (see Exodus 4:14-16). So, Moses and Aaron had neither chosen nor earned this huge responsibility.  

Besides, was the whole community really holy? Not at all. Throughout Exodus, Leviticus and Numbers they sinned over and over again. God was with them, but it wasn’t because of their own holiness or the holiness of Moses and Aaron. It was because God made a covenant with their forefathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and He would keep His promise. 

From Numbers 16:8-14 it appears Korah and his followers were discontent with their own privileged position and wanted to take over Moses and Aaron’s positions to get what they wanted.

You and I may not have led a rebellion against authority, but I’m guessing we have all criticized or complained against authority. The next time you and I want to complain about someone else in authority, let’s ask ourselves why we want to complain? Is it because we want their position and think we could do a better job? Or are we upset because we aren’t getting what we want when we want it? Or, is it a legitimate concern over injustice?  

In the future, we’ll see some interesting ways Moses and God respond to this opposition! Stay tuned…

Alice

Thurs Devo: Intercessory Compassion

If someone did something against you, your loved one or your property and then got punished for it, would you try to intercede and ask that the punishment be removed?

Last year my sister and I were driving in the first snow storm of the year when another car rear-ended us. He didn’t have proof of insurance or a valid driver’s license and had his friend sit in the driver’s seat by the time the police arrived. At the time, I certainly wanted him to suffer the consequences for breaking the law and causing us trouble.

We usually want mercy for ourselves and justice for everyone else. Not Moses. He regularly pleaded for mercy on behalf of the Israelites. And, when his very own siblings turned on him and were confronted and punished by God, he immediately pleaded for mercy!

Numbers 12:13-16      ¹³ So Moses cried out to the Lord, “Please, God, heal her!”

¹⁴ The Lord replied to Moses, “If her father had spit in her face, would she not have been in disgrace for seven days? Confine her outside the camp for seven days; after that she can be brought back.” ¹⁵ So Miriam was confined outside the camp for seven days, and the people did not move on till she was brought back.

¹⁶ After that, the people left Hazeroth and encamped in the Desert of Paran.

Besides Jesus, I think Moses was the most compassionate person in the entire Bible. God responded to Moses’ pleas for compassion and mercy. Here, God healed Miriam of her leprousy and lessened her punishment to a mere 7 day time-out. (God knows everything, so maybe He knew Miriam needed some time to think about what she had done. There’s no record that she repented immediately like Aaron did, as we saw last week.)

How can you and I be more compassionate? I’m not talking about making life easy for people, being a door mat, setting low expectations, or compromising God’s standards. I’m talking about lovingly valuing the life of others in such a way that we humbly point them to the One who can give them eternal compassion and mercy. We can start by praying for our own heart of compassion. Then, like Moses, we can intercede for those around us and ask for God’s mercy towards them and for them to see God's compassion.  

Alice

Thurs Devo - Compassion through Consequences

Last week we saw how God stepped in and personally confronted Miriam and Aaron on their prideful opposition against Moses. God was rightfully angry with them, asked them thought provoking questions and then left them with a consequence.

Numbers 12:9-12        ⁹ The anger of the Lord burned against them, and he left them.

¹⁰ When the cloud lifted from above the tent, Miriam’s skin was leprous—it became as white as snow. Aaron turned toward her and saw that she had a defiling skin disease, ¹¹ and he said to Moses, “Please, my lord, I ask you not to hold against us the sin we have so foolishly committed. ¹² Do not let her be like a stillborn infant coming from its mother’s womb with its flesh half eaten away.”

God doesn’t take sin lightly. He punishes sin. The consequences aren’t to get even, though. If He got even with us every time we sinned, we would all be dead! God shows compassion through His consequences. The consequences are to help train us so that we recognize our sins, repent, turn back to God and ask for His help. That’s exactly what happened here. Aaron immediately repented of his sin, acknowledged it as foolish, and asked for mercy (instead of making excuses and passing the blame, as he did in the golden calf incident in Exodus 32).

When you and I experience consequences for our sins, do we get mad at God? Do we make excuses? Do we blame others? How will you and I fully acknowledge and confess our sin and turn back to God with a sincere desire to love and serve Him with His help? Then, we can view our consequences as God’s compassion!

Yesterday, Kent also talked about compassion and focused on how we are to be compassionate with others. When we realize how compassionate God is with us, then we can be compassionate with others. Next week we will see a great example of that in Moses as he responds to Aaron’s plea for mercy…

Alice