March 2022 – Live the Crazy Life

A Journey Through the Book of Numbers – Part 5: The long awaited conclusion

statue of st mary standing on top of rock

Thank you for taking the time to read this series post. Today I am wrapping up the book of Numbers. There are two different things I’d like to talk about in this last post. Starting in Chapter 29 I will share about the Day of Atonement and then wrap of with Moses’ angry outburst at the rock which will take us back to chapter 20.

I see so much of myself in the Israelites. They whine, they complain, God moves on their behalf, they rejoice, and then they repeat that cycle over again. Maybe the time gaps between the rejoicing and the complaining grow a little longer each cycle but yet they go right back to being complaining whiny babies. It is so easy to see sin in someone else than to acknowledge in your own heart.

While I was reading through Numbers I came across a verse in Chapter 29 that seemed to scream stop studying this and learn from this. It reads like this “You are to hold a sacred assembly on the tenth day of this seventh month and practice self-denial; do not do any work.” Numbers 29:7. Practice self-denial. I don’t know about you but I am horrible at this. I mean H-o-r-r-i-b-l-e. We live in the land of ‘I want what I want when I want it’. And I have adopted that life style more than I would like to admit. And the not work part – what?? I am always working, either for the church, or doing house work, or doing something for the family, or working in the garden because it helps me destress from all the work. That’s just life in America right? That is the norm, right? I mean I know we take a Sabbath but if I am honest that just means grocery shopping and finishing whatever household things didn’t get done that week, and maybe reading the Bible and watching a show.

So I sat with that. Prayed about it, thought about it and then studied it. What I learned is how the Jewish culture, at least in Biblical times, prepares for the Day of Atonement. For those that aren’t familiar with it, the Day of Atonement is the one day the High Priest would go into the Holy of Holies and offer sacrifices to atone for the sin of themselves and their nation. They did this every year along with all the other required sacrifices throughout the year.

The Day of Atonement, or Yom Kippur, is the climax of a 10 day period where the Jewish people reflect and repent for their lives and actions over the last year. They spend from the 1st day of the month of Tishri which is Rosh Hashanah until Yom Kippur repenting and looking internally at the condition of their heart. These 10 days are called the ‘Days of Awe’.

The Torah states that on Yom Kippur the High Priest could go into the Holy of Holies and call upon the name of Yaweh to offer a blood sacrifice for the sins of the people. A life for life sacrifice. Once again we see how the book of Numbers points us to our need for Jesus who was the High Priest who could legally go into the Holy of Holies and He Himself offered His life in place of mine and yours and every person who will accept Him.

However, in my studying I found that 40 days before Yom Kippur is the ‘Season of Teshuvah’. This 40 days is the period of time marked on the Jewish calendar that Moses was called to go back up Mount Sinai and he then received the second set of tablets of the 10 commandments. Moses went up to Mount Sinai no less then 3 times, each for 40 days at a time. The last time Moses went up was on the 1st of Elul and he descended 40 days later on the 10th of Tishri which is now Yom Kippur. This 40 days between the 1st of Elul and the 10th of Tishri represents the time of national sin and forgiveness obtained by Teshuvah before the Lord. Teshuvah means “turn towards God.” It is a time of soul searching and offering prayers for forgiveness.

I had decided that I would observe Lent this year. Just me and God. I wasn’t doing this for a study but because I personally need to reflect on where my heart was, spend some time with Jesus, and get prepared to celebrate Easter. (As I have said in other posts I struggle with the Holy Holidays turned secular like Easter and Christmas.) I wanted this year to be different and was believing this 40 days of Lent would help with that. I tell you that because they day I researched and learned of the Season of Teshuvah was on March 2nd, 2022 – the first day of Lent. We see that in the old testament God was setting up practices and applications for his people to see how wicked they had become, turn and repent, and accept that one sacrifice was sufficient to cleanse them of unrighteousness so they could continue in their relationship with the Lord. Jesus is our atonement for sin once and for all. He is that sacrifice that allows me, a sinner, to stand in the righteousness of Christ before the Lord. I was blown away at God’s goodness and provisions for maintaining relationship with His people.

What great lengths he went to, to show us His love that was always there for mankind. The day of self denial is the day you realize it isn’t you that makes you clean. You can’t be holy enough for God’s standards without the blood of a sacrifice. A life for a life. It is a day and a season to reflect on how much I need Jesus. I must deny myself, take up my cross, dieing to my wants and my ways, and follow Jesus and His ways. Because His way leads to life and mine leads to more work, more effort only to end up so off from the mark I was aiming at.

And Now on to Moses and why he didn’t get to enter the promised land. Chapter 20 recants the story of the Israelites once more complaining. This time it was a about lack of water. Which, by the way, God had already shown them many times how He controlled the water. He turned it into blood in Egypt. He parted the Red Sea so they could cross over to safety from the Eygptians. And He provided water in the desert when Moses hit the rock and water poured out. So why can’t they just believe God will provide? Hmmm. I see myself there. God has healed people I have prayed for. He has provided for me time and time again. And yet when it comes down to it, I freak out, complain, ask God why He is doing this to me, only to have Him show me His love and answers to my situation once again. Turns out seeing isn’t believing after all.

This time God tells Moses to speak to the rock and water will come forth. But Moses is human just like us. He gets mad just like us. He does things out of pride just like us. Instead of speaking to the rock He hits it twice and water comes forth. Moses disobeyed God and yet God provided for the people and for Moses. Don’t miss that. Moses sinned and God still moved despite that sin. But then we read that because Moses didn’t obey God he won’t enter the promised land.

I have always struggled with this. It seems so harsh of God. In fact, too harsh for the God who loves unconditionally. But the story doesn’t end there. The book of Numbers is not the last time we read about Moses. We read once more about Moses in Matthew 17:1-9 Jesus takes Peter, James and John up on a high mountain and He is transfigured in front of them. He shows them his glory, and who he really is – part of the Trinity of God. He Himself reveals His Holy-self to them. Verse 3 of chapter 17 reads ‘Suddenly Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him.” Moses shows up on the mount of Transfiguration and is talking with Jesus. Moses is standing on a mountain in the Promised Land with Elijah and Jesus.

In the book of Numbers we read that God allows him to see the Promised Land. But years and years later Jesus stands with Moses in the Promised Land. God redeemed what sin caused Moses to lose. His ways really are better.

The book of Numbers reminds us of our propensity to sin. It also reminds us that God made a way to redeem us from our sins through the blood of Jesus. God’s heart is for us, it always has been and it always will be. And even when we think we have blown it so bad that God redeem our situation, He stands and talks with us as we experience His promises. God is faithful and more loving than we will ever know. And the book of Numbers reminds us of that, through all the ups and downs, sinning and repenting; God never gave up on them, and He will never give up on you.

A Journey Through The Book of Numbers – Part 4 Grumbling and Complaining

angry wife explaining problem during quarrel

In this part of the series on the book of Numbers we will be focusing on a major concept in the book – complaining, grumbling and discontentment. We won’t be so much looking at specific chapters because it seems someone is either complaining to Moses and Aaron, or grumbling against God, or both.

In chapter 11 we see the people complain openly before the Lord, and He responds with fire on the outskirts of the camp. Then a rabble in verse 4 (a reference to possible Israelites that married Egyptians, or Egyptians that fled Egypt with the Israelites) enticed the Israelites to continue complaining. The complaints didn’t just stay among them. That’s the thing about complaining and being grumpy – it affects those around you, and more often than not complainers get a following. One discontented person can cause those around them to become discontented which is what we see in chapters 10-14.

They complain about food, meat, water and even the promised land in chapter 14. Moses sends spies to see the land that God has promised to give them. Eight of the ten bring back a bad report saying the land has strong people with fortified cities, that they will never be able to conquer. Two of the spies remind the Israelites that God had promised them a land flowing with milk and honey, a good land a fertile land. They even bring the proof that the land is all that God had promised – a cluster of grapes they brought back had to be carried on a pole by two men (see 13:23). God had never lied to the Israelites. They even had visual proof of Him keeping his word. But the people focused on the wrong thing. The focused on the enemies of the land instead of the Lord’s promise to hand their enemies over to the Israelites.

It’s easy to look at this part of scripture and think, “Silly Israelites. Don’t they remember how the Lord delivered them from Egypt just a year ago?” But we all do that. God does something amazing in our lives, we celebrate, we praise, we rejoice, and then we go back to our lives. Sickness comes, heartache happens, and we wonder why the Lord has abandoned us in our time of need. One of the things repeated often in the Old Testament is to remember the great and mighty works the Lord has done in their midsts and for them. When we stop reminding ourselves and those around us of the great deeds that God has done, we fall prey to our old way of thinking about God. We see this happen over and over again.

If you learn nothing else from the book of Numbers remember this. God does not like having His character questioned. When the Israelites started saying that God had brought them out of Egypt only to die in the desert short of his promise, He responded. And each time His response got stronger. First, fire on the outskirts of the camp, then to a whole generation missing the promised land, to Miriam getting leprosy, plagues breaking out, and an entire clan being swallowed up when the ground below them opened up.

The complaining even got to Moses in chapter 20:10-12. The people had been complaining once more – this time because they had no water. Moses and Aaron sought the Lord, and He told them to go speak to the rock and water would pour forth. But Moses had had it. He took credit for what God wanted to do when He said, “Listen you rebels! Must we bring water out this rock for you?” God doesn’t like sharing credit, or His glory. So He told Moses and Aaron that they won’t go into the Land He promised. This sounds harsh and it is, but Moses was the closest person at this point to God. God spoke to him in ways unprecedented. Moses had allowed the hard-hearted bitterness of those around him to affect him. We do that, too. Just spend 2 hours with a whiny, grumpy toddler and see how patient and kind you are at the end of that 2 hours. Every mom has experienced this. It’s crazy how a toddler can turn a perfectly calm mom into a screaming maniac.

Our attitude matters. We who have chosen to make Jesus our Lord and Savior, are called to represent Him, and do it well. Verses like, “Do all things with out grumbling or complaining” (Philippians 2:14), and “Whatever you do, do it as unto the Lord” (Colossians 3:23-24) are not just good advice. They are commandments to follow. Not just for our sake but also for the sake of those around us. How are we to make Jesus appealing to a lost world if we complain and grumble more than those without Jesus?

In the middle of the season of complaining that Israel is going through the Lord reminds them once more of His true character. Chapter 14:18 says “The Lord is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, forgiving iniquity and rebellion.”

In chapter 19 we have this weird section of scripture. In the middle of all the complaining and bad attitudes toward God that the Israelites had, God gives Moses and Aaron an outline of a purification ritual. It is not the normal sacrifice. This one uses a red heifer that has no defect and has never been yoked. There is much in these few scriptures that point to the need of redemption through blood. The red heifer was to be burned outside the camp. Jesus was crucified outside the city walls of Jerusalem. Cedar wood, hyssop and crimson string were also used in the ritual. Jesus was hung on a tree, they gave Him wine and vinegar from a sponge attached to a hyssop branch, and the crimson string represents His blood that was shed for the forgiveness of our sins.

Once more we see the book of Numbers remind us that God had a plan for redeeming His people all along.

To read the last blog in the series click here.