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    March 4th Chronological Bible Readings

    Numbers 16:1-18:32
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    “Trial By Fire” – ever hear this term?  I think this term may have gotten its genesis here in Numbers chapter 16.  Korah’s rebellion caused Moses to explain how this true trial by fire would go down in verses 4 through 7 – “Tomorrow morning the LORD will show us who belongs to him and who is holy. The LORD will allow those who are chosen to enter his holy presence. You, Korah, and all your followers must do this: Take incense burners, and burn incense in them tomorrow before the LORD. Then we will see whom the LORD chooses as his holy one.”  A trial by fire indeed occurs subsequently in this chapter.  Here’s how Boticelli depicts this scene of scripture in the Sistine Chapel in Rome (note that Michelangelo painted the ceiling of the Sistine – whereas other artists painted the walls – I just learned this just now!):


    Eskorah2

    Verses 12 & 13 stood out as completely strange, as these 2 men had somehow now thought that instead of being a prison, Egypt was now in their minds a paradise?….  “Then Moses summoned Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, but they replied, “We refuse to come! Isn’t it enough that you brought us out of Egypt, a land flowing with milk and honey, to kill us here in this wilderness, and that you now treat us like your subjects?”   I wonder if we do this in our lives?  Think that things that used to be so bad for us are now somehow good?  I know I’ve done this.  I’ve left situations or relationships or bad habits – knowing they were simply bad for me – and then later down the road I’ve sometimes thought to myself, “ahh… I miss xyz or doing xyz… I should go back to that.”  And I do.  And I regret it all over once again.  There is a somewhat obscure R.E.M. song that goes “Don’t go back to Rockville – and waste another year.”  I think of this song on occasion when I am tempted to go back to something I know I shouldn’t go back to – I sing to myself, “don’t go back to Rockville.”  Perhaps Dathan and Abiram should have been singing to themselves – “don’t go back to Egypt – and waste another year…”  What about you?  Is there an Egypt / Rockville or two in your life that you’ve left behind?  Are you ever tempted to go back?  Do you sometimes even think you might have been wrong about how bad things were back then…. that it might have really been a land flowing with milk and honey even!   Well, I know we’ll all have our moments of going backwards…. but I pray we see the True land of milk and honey in front of us that is only available through a relationship with Jesus and the Father – and that we won’t go back to our “Egypts”…



    Today in Numbers chapter 17 verse 8 we read how God stopped the questioning of the Israelite community about Aaron and his houses’ unique priestly authority – “When Moses went into the Tabernacle of the Covenant the next day, he found that Aaron’s staff, representing the tribe of Levi, had sprouted, blossomed, and produced almonds!”


    Num17

    The 2nd sentence in Numbers chapter 18 verse 20 stood out to me today: “And the LORD said to Aaron, “You priests will receive no inheritance of land or share of property among the people of Israel. I am your inheritance and your share.”  What a beautiful thing to hear from God!  I am your inheritance and your share.  In your life today, is God your inheritance and your share?  Do you want God to be your inheritance and share?  Does anything else at all compare to this glorious inheritance?


    Worship God: Per my reflections in Numbers above, and somewhat related to that old R.E.M. song, here is Building 429’s great song “End of Me:”



    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nnxwCE3bCQk

    Have you reached the end of you? Click here for the beginning of eternity!


    Please join us in memorizing and meditating on a verse of Scripture today: “The LORD said to Aaron, ‘You will have no inheritance in their land, nor will you have any share among them; I am your share and your inheritance among the Israelites.’” Numbers 18:20 NIV


    Prayer Point: Pray in thanksgiving if the Lord is your inheritance, through a saving faith in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior.


    Comments from You:  What verses or insights stand out to you in today’s readings?  Please post up by clicking on the “Comments” link below!

    God bless,
    Mike

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    2 responses to “March 4th Chronological Bible Readings”

    1. Ramona Avatar
      Ramona

      There is something in today’s Old Testament reading that stopped me dead in my tracks. There is something I thought was a modern day phenomena even though I know that the “blame game” began back in the “Garden.” No where in the readings of the remainder of chapter 16 and the 17th chapter do the people take responsibility for their unbelief, their disobedience and their out right rebellion against the Word of God, they challenge leadership ordained by God every step of the way. No wonder they wondered for forty years. God couldn’t allow that kind of “murmuring” and complaining into the Promise Land.
      A very funny evangelist said, “If you don’t believe the prophet of the house (meaning the Church you are attending) leave ‘cause your going broke if you don’t.” Well, the way she said it was very funny. How many of us tell the Pastor what to do or mummer against him because he should be doing it like this? And is our guide and model godly wisdom? No, it is the imagination of our own minds; after all I did get a degree from what of the top MBA programs (or the lowest) in the country. Shouldn’t that qualify me to run the church? A Medical Doctor once offered his services to serve in the ministry of my church. Now you must be a member for one year and have taken several required classes (New members; Spiritual Growth and a Service class) before you can serve and they have added a three-month boot camp to insure that you can be submitted to leadership. Well anyway they told him they would gladly use him but the only thing that had an opening for was to patrol the parking lot. He quickly withdrew his offer.
      We jockey for church positions thinking that it will make us closer to God or that we will have influence, respect and power in the midst the people we serve. But we are not really looking to serve using the model Jesus put forth; we are really looking to be served. And with the responsibility that leadership demands, I’m not sure if I would want the job! Bottom line: We want the authority but we don’t want the responsiblity that comes with it. But God says, “Sorry, they are a package deal!”
      Leviticus 18:
      1The LORD now said to Aaron: “You, your sons, and your relatives from the tribe of Levi will be held responsible for any offenses related to the sanctuary. But you and your sons alone will be held liable for violations connected with the priesthood.
      … 3 But as the Levites go about their duties under your supervision, they must be careful not to touch any of the sacred objects or the altar. If they do, both you and they will die.
      Whoa! Back up just a minute. These people won’t listen to God yet those Aaron must supervises he’s responsible for if they don’t follow the command not to “touch” the sacred objects? The comment Jesus made about the generation always needing a “sign” becomes clearer about why he said what He said. The Miracles God worked through Moses and Aaron in Egypt weren’t good enough; the parting of the Red Sea wasn’t good enough and the Manna, the quail, the ground opening up and taking Korah and his crowd didn’t convince them that God was the true God and that Moses and Aaron was His representative couldn’t convince them then what would?
      This is the statement that really has me stunned,
      Numbers 17:
      12 Then the people of Israel said to Moses, “We are as good as dead! We are ruined! 13 Everyone who even comes close to the Tabernacle of the LORD dies. We are all doomed!”
      No, the reason they died was because they disobeyed, they were rebellious and they complained against God and accused Him of only wanting to take them out in the dessert to kill them. WOW! How much of this do I do? I need to stop and take stock of my activities and my self-talk. Am I following after this pattern? Do I need to fall on my face and ask forgiveness for seditious behavior?
      Some thoughts of Paul to Timothy:
      Desiring leadership (teaching)
      6 But some teachers have missed this whole point. They have turned away from these things and spend their time arguing and talking foolishness. 7 They want to be known as teachers of the law of Moses, but they don’t know what they are talking about, even though they seem so confident. 8 We know these laws are good when they are used as God intended.(1 Timothy 1)
      What James states:
      1 Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. 2 We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to keep his whole body in check.(James 3)
      I’m just blown away by Numbers 16 and 17 and must spend more time mediating on these two chapters,
      Grace and peace,
      Ramona

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    2. Tabitha Avatar
      Tabitha

      I am so happy that God is merciful. I am grateful that He doesn’t hold us to the sacrifices from before.

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