Notes from Numbers

I mentioned in my New Year’s post that I was taking up my Bible reading again in Leviticus where I got bogged down last year. I wanted to read the Bible straight through from Genesis to Revelation, but gave up and switched to the New Testament for several months. But for New Year’s I decided to try again. We’ll see how far I get this time… probably to Chronicles! LOL! My pastor told me it’s “too hard” to read it all in a year if you try to read it in order. I think he’s right. That’s okay. I’ll get through it when I get through it.

Anyway… I finally finished Leviticus with all the obscure Hebrew laws, and now I’m in Numbers. It is much more interesting since it is has more history mixed in with the law than Leviticus did. I have been praying that God would show me something fresh even in this “dry” portion of the Bible as I read each morning… and He has been faithful to do that! Just thought I’d share a few of the verses that have jumped out at me this time through…

At the command of the Lord they remained encamped, and at the command of the Lord they journeyed… –Numbers 9:23

Go or stay? It doesn’t matter… as long as the Lord is in it.

Now the man Moses was very humble, more than all the men who were on the face of the earth. –Numbers 12:3

Can you imagine that? A leader like Moses… more humble than anyone else on earth? Wow!

But your little ones, whom you said would be victims, I will bring in, and they shall know the land which you have despised. –Numbers 14:31

The people were afraid to enter the Promised Land because they were concerned about the safety of the women and children. They didn’t trust the Lord to take care of them. So God told them, “Fine! You can wander around in the wilderness until you die… but those little kids you were worried about? I’m going to take care of them!” I liked the reminder that we, as parents, really have no control over what happens to our children, but we can trust God to take care of them!

So there ya have it… my little exhortation for the day…