March 10 - Numbers 35-36: God Provides for the Levites and Accused Murderers

Today’s Reading: Numbers 35-36

The Message

English Standard Version

Congratulations! You've made it through five books of the Old Testament! Only one more to go in the Pentateuch.

Thought to Guide Your Reading

God is providing for the Levites, the ones who go between the people and God, and someone who accidently kills another.

Summary in 100 Words or Less

God gave land outside every city for the Levites to graze their livestock. Six towns were given for asylum-seekers. The Levites were also given 42 cities inside Israel.
The asylum towns served as courts for accused murderers. If they knowingly used a tool or waited for the person to kill him/her, the person was executed. If a pure accident occurred, he/she lived in the asylum city until the high priest died. One person's testimony could not condemn an accused murderer.
God commanded any woman who received her father's inheritance to marry within her own tribe to prevent cross-tribal land transfer.

How Today’s Reading Contributes to the Gospel: God is Setting All Things Right

God gave land to His Priests.

The Levites would not receive a land inheritance as the other tribes. The grasslands and 42 cities were to serve as their replacement for the large province the other tribes would receive. God provides for His Priests.

God protected the accidental-killer but not the murderer.

God would not allow the innocent person (or someone who killed another in an accident) to be executed by a relative bent on revenge. However, God knew that once a person's close relative was killed (that is how a person became the blood redeemer), the person would never be able to let it go. So God gave a statute that any person who was found innocent of murder could not leave the city. If they did, their asylum was revoked. God protects the innocent and punishes the murderer with death.

God does not allow one person to condemn another alone.

God realizes that one person alone is not a reliable witness. Too many variables could prevent righteous justice: personal distaste, grudges, bad view, mistaken identity, wanting easy justice instead of righteous justice. So God stipulated that one person could not condemn a person. God protects the innocent from someone with a vendetta against them.

God's statute that a woman with no brothers who wishes to marry must marry within her tribe helped each tribe maintain clear borders to keep the peace.

Land transfer was an important issue. God stated that land must be returned to its original tribe during the Jubilee. However, land was transferred through male lineage and not female lineage. So when a woman married outside her tribe, she in essence left her claim on her tribe's land. So if a woman had no brothers and received her father's land as an inheritance, she could no longer marry outside her tribe so the tribe could maintain control over the land. This helped the tribes stay peaceful with each other and prevented larger tribes from gaining land within the smaller tribes' area (or vice versa). It's a complicated law, but one that was important for that time period.

March 9 - Numbers 33-34: Moses' Travel Log

Today’s Reading: Numbers 33-34

The Message

English Standard Version

Today's reading has a lot of geographical places and names. Scan-able areas are 33:5-47, and 34:20-28.

Thought to Guide Your Reading

Moses kept a record of everywhere Israel had camped for their generations to come.

Summary in 100 Words or Less

Moses kept a diary of where the Israelites camped during the 40 years from the time they left Egypt until they entered Canaan. They left Egypt while the Egyptians buried their firstborn. God showed Egypt how puny their silly gods were.
God repeated his warning about the people in Canaan. Israel was to defeat them and destroy all of their idols, altars, high places, etc. They were to apportion the land to each tribe according to its size.
God gave the borders of the country of Israel. God appointed men from every tribe to distribute the land to their tribe.

How Today’s Reading Contributes to the Gospel: God is Setting All Things Right

God showed the lunacy of other gods.

In a final barb to the Egyptians, God reminds the Israelites that He showed why the Egyptian gods were no gods at all. He did this, of course, by taking all that their gods would control and mocking their lack of control through the ten plagues. God would mock other gods, for example when confronted with the gods of the Philistines.

God once again reminds Israel that He is their God and they are to destroy all of His competition in Canaan.

This is something God has mentioned several, several times. He warns them again that if they do not destroy all of the existing areas of worship created by the Canaanites they will fall into the same problems the Canaanites had. God is adamant! He is to have no competition and anything associated with other gods should be destroyed among His Chosen People.

The men God chose would perform a task that would last for generations.

God told the people earlier that the land would return to the original land owners in the Jubilee. So these men were going to decide the potential fate of each family. If the family received great, fertile land they might become a rich, powerful family. If they received land that was barren, they might become paupers. This was an important task given to leaders of each tribe.

March 8 - Numbers 31-32: God's Punishes Moab

Today’s Reading: Numbers 31-32

The Message

English Standard Version

Thought to Guide Your Reading

The people went to battle and did not lose a single person because God was with them.

Summary in 100 Words or Less

God told Israel to destroy Moab. This would be Moses' final act. The people sent 12,000 warriors and killed all of the Moabite males. They brought the women and children back. Moses and Eleazar allowed only the virgin girls to survive. God split the plunder half between the warriors and half between the tribes. One out of fifty of the animals and girls were given to the Levites. All of the warriors survived.
The Reubenites, Gadites, and Manassehites wanted the grazing land east of Jordan for their inheritance. They promised to go with the others into Canaan to fight.

How Today’s Reading Contributes to the Gospel: God is Setting All Things Right

God took revenge on Moab for causing His Chosen People to sin.

God would bring His vengeance on Moab for tempting His Chosen People to sin against Him. God will punish those who tempt His Chosen People to sin.

Moses and Eleazar were angry at the Israelites for allowing the women, the cause of the sin, to live.

God told the people not make a covenant with any group. These women tempted the men to worship their gods. Israel spared them, most likely because they wanted them for their own wives. This is why Moses and Eleazar were so angry. The warriors cared more for having beautiful wives than being right with God. So any woman who could have a sway on the men was killed and only the young women were allowed to live, since they were innocent of Israel's sin. Choose a mate who is fully-committed to God instead of one that looks good.

None of the warriors died in battle.

God will protect His Chosen People when they go to battle for Him. However, notice that this was not a war the Israelites chose to enter on their own. This was a war that God told them to enter. This will be important later when Israel becomes a nation with land.

The conflict between the tribes of Reuben and Gad verses Moses and Eleazar show a good way to resolve conflict.

Reuben and Gad want the grazing land east of the Jordan. Moses and Eleazar think they have a similar lack of faith the Israelites had forty years earlier. However, because they both listen to each other any disaster is adverted. When people listen to each other's needs and wants, God can set things right on this earth.

March 7 - Numbers 28-30: Sacrifices and Vows

Today’s Reading: Numbers 28-30

The Message

English Standard Version

This is my 100th post! I can't believe I've made it that far. Over two-thirds are Bible readings, but I made it! 

Today's reading has several sacrifice-oriented laws. Scan chapters 28 and 29 if you are low on time.

Thought to Guide Your Reading

The offerings were to remind the people of God's presence and to remind God of the people's presence.

Summary in 100 Words or Less

God gave commandments to the priests regarding daily, weekly, monthly, yearly, and festival sacrifices. Each included an animal and flour mixed with oil. The people of Israel were to do no work on the days of the festival.
God also gave rules regarding vows. A man's vow was always intact. A woman's vow could be vetoed by her husband or father if he did it when he first heard the vow. If not, the vow would stand. If a woman was married during her vow, the husband could nullify it without the woman being guilty of breaking her vow.

How Today’s Reading Contributes to the Gospel: God is Setting All Things Right

The Israelites' sacrifices were to remind them of God's presence and to remind God of their presence.

God is not bloodthirsty and needs blood to bless the people. God is a God that wanted His Chosen People to be fully and wholly His. The sacrifices were to help the people remember that God is always with them. The pleasing aromas were to remind God that His Chosen People still served Him. If they stopped sacrificing to God then they might forget and God might kindle his anger against them.

God places spiritual leadership with the father/husband.

As written yesterday, God's decision looks sexist to us in the 21st century. However, the culture and times of ancient Israel are very different than today. At that time, women were cared for but not considered equal to a man. They were not educated as males. They were not taught the Torah as well as their brothers. Because of this, God gave spiritual leadership to the males. Would God give this law differently today? Maybe not. However, we think of male spiritual leadership as a power grab. That's not the intention. God doesn't give fathers and husbands the ability to blithely reject any and every vow their daughters and wives make. If a woman is so intent on something that she makes a vow to do it (or not do it) a man would be embarrassed in the community and/or risk family strife if he went against her wishes. A godly man would not want such embarrassment/tension in the home.

Vows are serious. God expects you to obey your vow.

Vows are something that we do not have as often today. In fact, when we think of vows we think of a wedding. At that time there were vows that meant you offered certain things over to the Lord. This will be exemplified in 1 Samuel. Over time, this law would erode away at the hands of the Israelites and Jesus would correct their misunderstanding in the New Testament.

March 6 - Numbers 26-27: God Prepares Israel for Transition

Today’s Reading: Numbers 26-27

The Message

English Standard Version

Chapter 26 is another census. Scan down to verse 52 and pick up there if you don't have time to read all of it.

Thought to Guide Your Reading

Moses wants to make sure there is smooth transition to the next leader.

Summary in 100 Words or Less

God retook the census. This time there were 601,703 adult males. Each tribe (except the Levites) would receive a proportion of the land based on their size. No person from the first census lived until the second census except Caleb and Joshua. This fulfilled God's punishment.
The daughters of Zelophehad petitioned Moses and Eleazar to receive their father's inheritance. God made a statute that daughters could receive their father's inheritance if he had no sons.
God prepared Moses to die. Moses asked God to choose a replacement. God chose Joshua. Joshua was shown to the Israelites as their next leader.

How Today’s Reading Contributes to the Gospel: God is Setting All Things Right

God's punishment came true.

God punished the people for not trusting that they would conquer Canaan with God's aid. This second census shows that God's punishment came true. No one over 20 at the time of the first census lived until the second census. God's promises and punishments will happen.

God protects women.

Americans may see God's judgment as sexist. Compared to 21st-century Western morals this would be true. However, God is not speaking to 21st-century Westerners. Women were considered property by most cultures of that time. The fact that God grants this petition (or that Moses even heard the petition in the first place) shows that God wants to protect women (although he did not protect Hoglah from a terrible name—at least in English).

Why does God only give an inheritance to women if there is no brother? Simple, a woman received the inheritance of her husband. When a woman was married to a man of another tribe she became one of that tribe. She received the inheritance of that tribe. If a woman was not married she would receive the inheritance of her brother. Women were not considered equal to men, but were not left out in the cold. God will protect those who do not have someone to protect them.

Moses cares for the Israelite's leadership even after his death.

In one of his final displays of great leadership Moses asks God to choose a man to secede him when he died. He did not want the people of Israel to be left without a guide. This is the man who could not enter the land of Canaan because these people made him so angry he did not obey God. Yet even in the face of his punishment he cared for the people. Moses was a man who was dedicated to setting things right.
Leaders, take Moses' example to heart. Pray that God will choose your successor. Then make sure the community knows that God has chosen this person to lead them. Leaving a congregation leaderless or in limbo over who should be the next leader tarnishes a good reputation.

March 5 - Numbers 23-25: Balaam Proves Faithful, Israel Cheats on God

Today’s Reading: Numbers 23-25

The Message

English Standard Version

Thought to Guide Your Reading

Balaam, a non-Israelite, proves more faithful than the actual Israelites.

Summary in 100 Words or Less

Balaam told Balak he would only speak God's words. Three times Balak took Balaam to a high place to curse Israel. Three times Balaam blessed Israel. Balaam spoke of Moab's downfall to Israel. Annoyed, Balak sent Balaam away.
Some Israelite men cavorted with Moabite women and worshipped their gods. God ordered the public executions of Israelite leaders for this great sin. Moses ordered the executions of the guilty men. Phinehas, Aaron's grandson, followed one son of an Israelite leader and a daughter of a Moabite leader and speared them together, killing both. Phinehas's zealous attack for God soothed God's anger.

How Today’s Reading Contributes to the Gospel: God is Setting All Things Right

Balaam presents a great example of someone not willing to compromise his task for any reason.

Balaam could have used this as a chance to gain money, fame, and power by doing what Balak wanted. He had faith that someone would not kill him on the spot. He submitted himself to God and God used him to bless Israel. God will work through anyone willing to speak His word regardless of the circumstance or the potential outcome.

The blessings Balaam gives Israel are noteworthy.

Balaam's blessings come from what God saw in His people. Because they obeyed God Balaam blessed them. Israel would defeat Moab and occupy their land. Nothing would prevent God's word from coming true—not armies, magic, or other gods.
Christians today should listen to Balaam's blessing. When God makes a promise, nothing in this world can stop the promise from coming true.

Israel's crime was worshiping other gods, not being around the Moabite women.

God's several warnings came true. The people of Israel spent time with Moabite women, fell in love (or lust) and began worshiping their gods. It is as if they forgot God in the face of a pretty girl. Beware people with allegiances to other gods. They can and may lead you to split your allegiance with our God.
As I wrote then I want to reiterate—this is not about racial or denominational purity. God does not want His Chosen People fraternizing with people from other allegiances because they are to be His Holy People. This does not mean we should stay in a social cave and never speak to anyone else.

Phinehas ends God's anger by bringing God's justice to a powerful man's son, not executing two guilty people.

Remember, these people are God's Chosen People. They have made a vow to serve only the God of Abraham. God has promised them land and great blessings. When we make a vow and break that vow, there are great repercussions. The man was the son of the leader of the tribe of Simeon. Phinehas could have started a civil war by executing this man. But this does not stop him from bringing justice. God can set things right on this earth through His Chosen People when they ignore political power and implement God's justice. This does not mean all sinners should be executed. It means justice does not respect political power.

March 4 - Numbers 21-22: Israel is a Roving, Whining Bunch

Today’s Reading: Numbers 21-22

The Message

English Standard Version

Thought to Guide Your Reading

Israel is a large roving group of people. They're also a whiney group of people.

Summary in 100 Words or Less

The king of Arad took some Israelites hostage. The people pledged to destroy Arad if God helped them.
The people complained to God about the wilderness. God punished them with snakebites and had Moses build a bronze snake to heal the afflicted.
Israel defeated other inhospitable kings.
Balak, king of Moab, wanted Balaam, a priest of God, to curse the Israelites. Balaam confers with God and goes. God is angry. He sends an angel to kill Balaam three times. Balaam's donkey protects him. Balaam punishes the donkey. The donkey speaks to Balaam and shows him his wrong. Balaam apologizes.

How Today’s Reading Contributes to the Gospel: God is Setting All Things Right

The people of Israel do not learn from their mistakes.

These people really do not understand that they are in the wilderness because of their own mistakes. Moses has to once again defend the people and save them from their own inability to accept their fate. God has Moses create a bronze snake to protect them (remember the snake—it will come up again in a few months). At least they help us understand God's patience. God is very, very patient.

There is something going on in Balaam's story that we do not understand.

I'll admit it. I do not understand this story. First, there is a non-descendent of Abraham who is a priest. God tells Balaam to go with the emissaries then gets angry and sends an angel to kill Balaam for going. That's really strange. Then Balaam's donkey not only saves him—it talks to him. And Balaam acts as though it were normal.
This is a very strange story.

Balaam is not an Israelite but is a priest of God.

This part of the story sounds normal to us today. We are used to God working through people from around the world. However, the people reading this at the time it was written would have found the story strange and mildly insulting. Israel considers all other cultures beneath them because they are God's Chosen People. This small part helps them (and us) realize that God doesn't work that way. God will use all people willing to set things right on this earth for His purposes regardless of their religious identity. We do not decide who God works through or how this is done.

March 3 - Numbers 18-20: Moses and Aaron Sin, Aaron Dies

Today’s Reading: Numbers 18-20

The Message

English Standard Version

Thought to Guide Your Reading

Moses—the greatest non-Jesus prophet ever—disobeyed God out of frustration.

Summary in 100 Words or Less

God instructed Aaron that his descendents were the only ones allowed to work with the Tabernacle's sacred object. The Levites would receive a tenth of all Israel gained instead of land.
The ash of a heifer was used to reinstate a person who had touched a dead body. If anyone did not follow the rituals they were excommunicated from the community.
Moses and Aaron angrily struck a rock to produce water instead of speaking to it as God commanded; therefore, God barred them from entering Canaan.
Edom would not allow Israel to cross its borders.
Aaron died on Mount Hor.

How Today’s Reading Contributes to the Gospel: God is Setting All Things Right

God wanted the Levites to be full-time diplomats between the Israelites and God.

God did not want the Levites to have split priorities. So he offered them the ability to not work the land and become His priests. In return, they would receive 10% of the entire crop. God required only 10% of that to be given to Him (1% of the country's total). God wishes to have His Chosen People fund full-time, dedicated workers for Him.

Moses' frustration with the people comes out by disobeying God.

With all that had happened since the scouts were sent into Canaan, it is almost understandable why Moses would be so upset that he either forgot or purposely disobeyed God. These people are scum compared to Moses and they do not learn anything from God. But this mistake costs Moses and Aaron dearly. They are a cautionary tale for leaders. When leaders act out of frustration, they cannot set things right.

Edom does not allow Israel to enter both because of its lack of hospitality and its fear.

This is a difficult text. On the one hand, Israel did not have a great relationship with the Egyptians and word has mostly likely passed to the Edomites. They are also a huge group of people who could wipe out Edom's resources for the entire year. On the other, Edom must show hospitality to others. Since Israel was willing to not trespass off the roads and repay anything eaten or destroyed they should have allowed the people to pass through their land. This will come back to haunt them in the future. Those who are hospitable set things right.

March 2 - Numbers 16-17: The Aftermath

Today’s Reading: Numbers 16-17

The Message

English Standard Version

Thought to Guide Your Reading

Today is the aftermath of God's refusal to allow Israel into Canaan.

Summary in 100 Words or Less

Korah, a Levite, alongside Dathan and Abiram, Reubenites, furiously accused Moses and Aaron of overstepping their bounds. Moses exclaimed God would decide who was their leader the next day.
The next morning the men (250 in total) brought censers of incense. Moses proclaimed that God would execute these traitors. The Earth split open and the men, their families, servants, and possessions fell in.
The people blamed Moses. So God gave another test to prove Aaron's legitimacy. The people were scared God would destroy them all. Because of Moses' and Aaron's pleadings, God only killed 14,500 people alongside Korah's co-conspirators.

How Today’s Reading Contributes to the Gospel: God is Setting All Things Right

Israel is not taking God's punishment well.

This is the breaking point for the people, too. They have come all this way over two years in the wilderness to enter the land of Canaan and now they are told God would not allow anyone over 20-years-old enter the land. This is too much for them. Moses and Aaron have finally outlasted their patience and they want a new leader, one who would bring good news from God and lead them into Canaan.

God will not stand for His Chosen People not following their chosen leaders.

Over 14,500 people died because they would no longer follow Moses and Aaron. God chose Moses and Aaron and would not allow others to usurp that authority without His approval. God's people must follow God's chosen leaders to set things right on the earth.

How awesome of a man is Moses.

Once again, Moses asks God not to destroy the people. The same people who are questioning his authority and want to ride him out of town on a rail. How awesome is this man!

March 1 - Numbers 14-15; Psalm 90: God Punishes His Chosen People

Today’s Reading: Numbers 14-15, Psalm 90

The Message

English Standard Version

Today we open the book of Psalms. Since it is not a book but a collection of poems set to music we will not read them in the order they are published but in the order they were written (or the time period they were written about). They do not summarize well, so instead I will begin a new section for the Psalms called "Psalm (P)Synopsis" where I will give thoughts on each Psalm. Happy reading!

Thought to Guide Your Reading

God punishes the people for their lack of faith but gives them a way to repent for accidental sins.

Summary in 100 Words or Less

The people, fed up, wanted to return to Egypt. God, fed up, wanted to destroy them and use Moses as His Chosen People. Moses reminded God of how the nations would judge Him. God instead barred anyone over 20 from entering Canaan. Some tried to conquer Canaan then and were roundly defeated. The other 10 spies died.
God told the people to make grain offerings along with animal sacrifices.
God allowed offerings to forgive unintentional sin.
A man was caught working on the Sabbath. He was stoned.
God suggested installing sleeve tassels to help the people remember the Law.

Psalm (P)Synopsis

Psalm 90

Moses is calling God to return because He has abandoned them to their sin. Moses realizes they are sitting ducks with God not there. It is a psalm of repentance. God's people alone have nothing but their guiltiness to dwell upon.

How Today’s Reading Contributes to the Gospel: God is Setting All Things Right

Israel infuriates God for openly doubting His Promise.

This passage is horrifying! Here are the people God has chosen, saved from slavery at a terrible cost to the Egyptians, and given water and bread by God. They stand in front of the land God has promised to wipe clean and give them on a silver platter and instead they want to brave the wilderness and return to their slavery because they don't think God can do what He has promised. This is what sets God over the edge. The people no longer doubt themselves; they doubt God. God cannot set things right when His Chosen People doubt His abilities.

Moses prevents God from wiping out the people by appealing to the other nations.

Moses realizes that God's purpose for Israel goes beyond the nation itself. God saved Israel so the nations of the world would know He is powerful and good. By wiping out the Israelites the nations would see God as inferior. God's purpose in having a Chosen People is for the world to see His power and righteousness and come to honor Him.

Some of the people repent and think it will prevent their punishment.

This is a case of "too little too late." Now the people are excited about going into Canaan and think their excitement will translate into God's forgiveness of their sin, forgetting the punishment laid against them, and blessing their new war. They are wrong. Repentance will not automatically relieve the punishment/consequence of sin.

God will forgive an accidental sin and wants to prevent it.

Do not think this passage is here accidently. God is telling the people if they sin unintentionally there is a remedy. The remedy isn't "do whatever you were suppose to do the first time," however. God does not want His Chosen People to sin, but is willing to help them not sin (tassels) and gives a way to ask for forgiveness (sacrifice).

How awesome of a man is Moses.

This is the second time Moses turns down God to become equal to Abraham. Moses does not want to be the leader of the Israelites (see yesterday's comments). He is fed up with them. Yet when God comes to wipe them out he defends them. How awesome is this man!

February 28 - Numbers 11-13: Drama in the Desert

Today’s Reading: Numbers 11-13

The Message

English Standard Version

Congratulations! You have reached the end of two months of reading the Bible through in a year! Only 10 more to go. Keep it up!

Thought to Guide Your Reading

God punishes the people for their lack of faith.

Summary in 100 Words or Less

Israel wanted to return to Egypt because they missed meat. God punished them because they grumbled. Moses told God he was tired of shepherding the people. God gave Moses 70 helpers, but only once.
God piled three feet of dead quail at the people's feet.
Miriam and Aaron grumbled against Moses behind his back. God struck Miriam with leprosy as punishment.
God had Moses send 12 men into Canaan to scout the land. They saw the land was abundantly fruitful. Caleb wanted to take the land then. The others were scared and did not think Israel could defeat the Canaanites.

How Today’s Reading Contributes to the Gospel: God is Setting All Things Right

God punishes the people because they want to return to Egypt.

God does not punish the people because they want meat. He does not punish them for asking for meat. The reason He punishes them is because they expected God to be their holy vending machine. When their lives do not go exactly as planned, they complain and want to return to their old lives of slavery. It is as if the manna, the Red Sea crossing, and the Egyptian plagues meant nothing to them. God will not stand for ungratefulness from His Chosen People.

Moses is tired of being the people's prophet.

Moses is suffering burnout. He has been the leader of these people for only two years but in that time great things have happened, good and bad. Moses is tired of the roller coaster and wants out. God does not let him out, though. Instead, He gives 70 men to share in the burden, though only for a short time.

Aaron and Miriam are guilty of racism.

This is a difficult part of scripture. We would like to say that Aaron and Miriam are jealous of Moses' power and/or his ability to speak directly to God and leave it there. Unfortunately, they are also guilty of not liking Moses because he married an African woman. This also shows why Moses is a great man and the reason God could speak directly to him. But it also gives a bad mark to Aaron, the other person you wouldn't expect a major character flaw from.

God wants the people to see the strength of the Canaanites to witness what He will do.

The Israelites know God has given them the land. He has also told them what He will do to prepare the land. He has rejected the people living in Canaan because of their unrighteousness. But instead of seeing Canaan as a place with strong people groups and praise God for His justice and mercy toward Israel they instead cower away and believe they could not take the land. This will be a big issue for tomorrow's reading.

February 27 - Numbers 8-10: God Grants Temporary Extensions to Passover

Today’s Reading: Numbers 8-10

The Message

English Standard Version

Thought to Guide Your Reading

The people are making final arrangement to leave Mount Sinai.

Summary in 100 Words or Less

The Levites purified themselves for service to God. This was to fulfill the firstborn-dedicated-to-the-Lord requirement. Levites could serve in the Tabernacle from the age of 25 until 50.
God told the people to observe the Passover. He allowed those unclean or travelling to wait until the next month to observe.
God directed the Israelites via a cloud that would either indicate which direction to go or settle on the Tabernacle, meaning to stay.
The people were set and left in a certain order to ensure safety. Moses convinced his brother-in-law Hobab to travel with them and be their guide.

How Today’s Reading Contributes to the Gospel: God is Setting All Things Right

The Levites must be ritually clean to serve God.

God required the Levites to come before God with completely shaved bodies. For a people who were not allowed to trim their beards, this was a dramatic difference. It set them apart as the ones who went between the people and God.

God allows for flexibility to accommodate those who are circumstantially unable to participate.

This is an important point to remember. God does allow for exceptions to the timetable, but these exceptions had to be for unforeseeable reasons. No one inside Israel who was clean could have an exception. God is not so rigid that His Laws cannot change to accommodate those who need change. God is not so flexible that any excuse will change his Law.

February 26 - Numbers 7: The Tribes Dedicate the Altar

Today’s Reading: Numbers 7

The Message

English Standard Version

Today is another day full of repetition. If you are pressed for time, read the first 17 verses and skip to verse 84. Everything in between is 11 days of the same offering. Today's post will be brief—I will only repeat a thought on oral culture in case you missed it earlier.

Thought to Guide Your Reading

The leaders of each tribe of the Israelites bring offerings for the new Altar to God.

Summary in 100 Words or Less

The Tabernacle was finished. Moses had leaders from the 11 tribes bring oxcarts to help the Levites transport the furnishings.
The Altar was ready. Each tribe brought a gift for the altar and a sacrifice: a silver plate and a silver bowl filled with flour mixed with oil for a grain offering, a gold vessel with incense, a bull, a ram, a goat, two oxen, five rams, and six lambs for an animal sacrifice.
Moses entered the tabernacle and God spoke to him in a voice between the cherubim on the Ark of the Covenant.

How Today’s Reading Contributes to the Gospel: God is Setting All Things Right

Repetition is used as a pneumonic devise to help with memorization.

(Repeat of three days ago)
The Law of Moses, although written down, was not passed on to the people through copies of a written document. It was passed on through oral teachers speaking to their family and friends. According to tradition, to attend the Jewish equivalent of a seminary, a student would have to quote the entire Pentateuch from memory. Pneumonic devices like repetition of the sentence

On the _______ day, _____ son of ______, the leader of the people of _________, brought his offering. His offering was: a silver plate weighing three and a quarter pounds and a silver bowl weighing one and three-quarter pounds (according to the standard Sanctuary weights), each filled with fine flour mixed with oil as a Grain-Offering; a gold vessel weighing four ounces, filled with incense; a young bull, a ram, and a yearling lamb for a Whole-Burnt-Offering; a he-goat for an Absolution-Offering; two oxen, five rams, five he-goats, and five yearling lambs to be sacrificed as a Peace-Offering. This was the offering of _____ son of _____. (The Message)

would serve as a help to memorize the entire section.

February 25 - Numbers 5-6: God Protects Women and Blesses His Chosen Nation

Today’s Reading: Numbers 5-6

The Message

English Standard Version

Thought to Guide Your Reading

A man's word is not worth more to God than a woman's word.

Summary in 100 Words or Less

God told Moses to enact the law on lepers and unclean people.
God provided a test for a woman's adultery. The jealous husband would bring her to the priest who would make her drink a toxic tonic. If innocent, all went well.
God gave instructions on the Nazarite vow. This person would dedicate a certain period of time to God and would not eat any form of grapes (skins, flesh, juice, raisin, etc.) or cut his hair. This person also could not go near any dead person, even a member of his family.
God gave a blessing to the people.

How Today’s Reading Contributes to the Gospel: God is Setting All Things Right

The test for adultery by a woman protected women from jealous husbands.

When Americans look at this text we are flummoxed. It makes no sense to us 1) why there would need to be a test and 2) why does the woman have to suffer? Because of this the text gets tossed into the "out there" pile. However, I want to provide a different view.
In the ancient world, a woman's worth was directly proportional to her ability to give birth to children. That is about all she had going for her. So if a man's wife cheated with another man the husband would never know if his children were truly his or not. If he wanted to have her condemned as an adulteress she would have no recourse. Ancient cultures would not consider women's accounts of events permissible in a court.  God's plan, however, stipulated that a man had to go to the priest first before having her stoned. This protected a woman in two ways: 1) a man would be too embarrassed to have his wife before the priest and then be found wrong and 2) she would be protected if she were innocent. God's test for adultery protected women in a way no human court could or would. The test in itself was made torturous both to prevent a man from putting his wife through it and prevent a woman from cheating on her husband.

The Nazarite vow is the closest thing people came to becoming a monk.

This vow would separate the man from everyone in social ways. He could not eat any form of grape—in essence, no alcohol. He could not be around a dead person. A person would only do this to dedicate a special time (or child as in John the Baptizer) for God.

God blessed His Chosen People

God is getting ready to transfer from law-giver to protector for a people on the move. So to bless them on their journey He put His Name upon them. And so today, I bless you as well in your journey through the Bible in a year.

God bless you and keep you, God smile on you and gift you, God look you full in the face and make you prosper. (6:24-26, The Message)

February 24 - Numbers 3-4: God Prepares a Travel Party

Today’s Reading: Numbers 3-4

The Message

English Standard Version

Today's reading is about God organizing how the people would transport the Tabernacle and the Ark of the Covenant. Except for 3:40-51, feel free to scan through today if you are behind or get bogged down in the details.

Thought to Guide Your Reading

God prepares the people for travel.

Summary in 100 Words or Less

God gave an important job to the Levites: transportation of His Tabernacle and the Ark of the Covenant. The job was organized by family—each family carrying different parts of the Tabernacle. Aaron and his sons were to cover all of the holy objects before anyone could walk in the Tabernacle to prevent the movers from seeing the objects.
To fulfill God's requirement that the first male offspring of a woman or animal be given to God, God allowed the Levites to stand as a substitute. The Levites would be dedicated to God instead.

How Today’s Reading Contributes to the Gospel: God is Setting All Things Right

God chose the Levites to be dedicated to Him for His service.

God required the firstborn child to be dedicated to Him. Since this was given to the existing nation, He allowed the Levites to serve as a substitution for those born in Egypt. This meant they would be free to perform all the tasks God required to forgive sins, give sacrifices peace offering, thanksgiving offerings, etc.

February 23 - Numbers 1-2: God Commissions a Census, Organizes the War Party

Today’s Reading: Numbers 1-2

The Message

English Standard Version

Today we begin Numbers. The first 10 chapters deal with the Law of Moses then have narratives mixed in with laws for the remaining chapters. It leads us to Moses' final speech to the people of Israel in Deuteronomy. Let's begin!


Today's reading is very technical and repetitious; however, it prepares for what comes ahead. Feel free to scan through today if you are behind or get bogged down in the details.

Thought to Guide Your Reading

God is preparing the people for war.

Summary in 100 Words or Less

God commissioned a census of all men over 20 years old who were able to go to war. There were 603,550 over the ten tribes and the two half-blood tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh.
The Levites were not counted as warriors. They were to be the keepers of the Tabernacle and the Ark of the Covenant.
Each troop was ordered to camp in a certain way around the tabernacle and march in a certain order.
The Israelites did just what God asked.

How Today’s Reading Contributes to the Gospel: God is Setting All Things Right

God is showing the people how small they are compared to the other nations.

God later will punish a king for taking a census of the warriors in Israel. However, God commissioned this census for Israel. The reason is simple—He wants the people to realize that He will win their battles for them. The Israelites are not the strongest country. But this is moot, because God will defeat their enemies. When God is on your side, there is no need to take an opinion poll. His side will win in the end.

Repetition is used as a pneumonic devise to help with memorization.

The Law of Moses, although written down, was not passed on to the people through copies of a written document. It was passed on through oral teachers speaking to their family and friends. According to tradition, to attend the Jewish equivalent of a seminary, a student would have to quote the entire Pentateuch from memory. Pneumonic devices like repetition of the sentence

The line of _______: The men were counted off head by head, every male twenty years and older who was able to fight in the army, registered by clans and families. The tribe of ______ numbered ______. (The Message)

would serve as a help to memorize the entire section.