The resources God has given us to live a thriving life are His Word, Spirit, and People.
Read God’s Word:
Numbers 25-28
Act 2: God’s Covenant People
Scene 3: The Sinai Covenant and law: God embraces and instructs his people
Background Information: Numbers 25-28
From God’s protection and promise of blessing in the story of Balaam we go directly to Israel’s national apostasy. What the author intends is that we marvel at God’s grace in the face of terrible human sin. This is Israel’s last encampment in the exodus, so this is the generation who would enter the promised land and, just like their parents, they rebel against God. Israel is going to continue to be enticed by the worship of the fertility god, Baal, over the years to come. The main attraction of the “worship” of Baal is the inclusion of sexual immorality in those practices. Revelation tells us that though Baal was unable to curse God’s people, he did give King Balak a strategy to bring a curse on themselves. That strategy was to entice them to idolatry and immorality. You find this strategy described in Numbers 31:16 and Revelation.
“But I have a few things against you. You have some there who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to place a stumbling block in front of the Israelites: to eat meat sacrificed to idols and to commit sexual immorality.”
Revelation 2:14
God commands that the leaders be executed as a payment for the people’s sins. If this seems harsh, keep in mind that all the people could very well have been killed if God was being “fair.” One man blatantly brought a Midianite woman into Israel’s camp to sleep with her. He showed utter contempt for the covenant, for God, and for Moses. A priest represents God, executes judgment, and is blessed for his action. Again, this is not harsh, this is a severe mercy. In the New Testament, Paul will use this story to warn against sexual immorality (1 Corinthians 10). Next, nearly forty years after the first census, a new one is taken, thus the name of the book: Numbers. After the census Moses’ successor is selected, reminding us that Moses will not enter the promised land because he did not fully take God’s holiness seriously. As Israel prepares to enter the land, they are again given a calendar of public sacrifices to the Lord. Sacrifice will be central to the life of the nation, just as it is central to the life of the Church. We do not offer continual sacrifices, but we celebrate one: the death of the Lord Jesus.
Pray:
Praise God for…
Thank God for…
Confess your sins to God
Today is the first day of Ramadan, a religious fast observed by Muslims. Pray that God would use Ramadan to reveal himself to Muslims. If you would like to pray regularly during Ramadan you can use this prayer guide
Ask God for… (what else concerns you?)
Reflect:
Write down one passage of scripture that stood out to you today.
Write down why this passage stood out to you.
Engage Community:
Text or call someone now and tell them…
– What you are praying for.
– What stood out from God’s word today.